We Can't Save New Japan Pro Wrestling? 

Novi has a point NJPW needs more talents from the academy.

New Japan in the 2010s and 2000s were some of the best wrestling in the world

The talent raids by AEW and WWE pretty much exposed their poor booking decisions on guys that couldve easily filled the holes that were left by Omega,Okada, White, Ospreay, etc. -H.O.T: Has pretty much destroyed 3 careers; EVIL, Sho, and Narita. Sho could've been the ACE of the junior division and eventually move up (Just watch his Shingo match) Narita while it gave him a character his ring skills have regressed due to the gimmick. And EVIL could've been a meanier badass bruiser but instead he's just 🗑️ - The yearly screwing over of ZSJ with world title pushes and not winning it -On and off pushes with LIJ especially with Shingo. -Overpushing Hiromu to the point where his body is possibly more damaged than Naito -Not going all in with Yota and Shota -Pushing Sanada 4 years too late -Trying to make David Finlay a thing when it's clearly obvious that Gabe Kidd should be the f***in man -The handling of the Championship unification -Overpushing Okada; I get it he's the GOAT but it came at the expense of guys who could've became bigger parts of the promotion. The 🗑️ Tag division with Chase and KENTA leading the way

New Japan Pro Wrestling Gedo is going through his Bill Belichick Post Brady Era of Booking. He just hasn’t been the same since losing his Star Quarterback despite having problems prior to Okada exit Best thing for them is either replace the booker and get someone with a new vision and or add new talent to the main event scene as Tana and Naito are about to age out and the Three musketeers alone ain’t gonna cut it. Look into the Dojo or The free Agent market in the Puro scene and try to rebuild from there.

I feel that the problems with NJPW were made worse because of AEW. The problem with AEW is that they do the very things they criticize WWE of doing. They cannibalized NJPW, ROH, TNA, and WWE. AEW was doing what WWE did during the territory days. AEW also lacks consistent long term vision for storytelling. The last great storylines I can remember AEW doing was Hangman Page chasing the AEW world championship and the MJF/CM Punk feud. Instead of AEW antagonizing WWE, they should be doing partnership. I know that sounds crazy but look at TNA working with WWE. This is more of a overpopulated roster program (again the very thing AEW criticized WWE for), you have so many talented people with nothing to do because there is too many of them. Maybe a brand split would fix this and give you a reason to have so many titles. (Having ROH being similar to how NXT is presented). If you constantly have to state they you are the best, people will start looking at you like you are just projecting. With recent news of Tony changes the scripts last minute (Once more, the very thing people used to complain about WWE doing), I feel Tony need to step back and let some experienced and intelligent veterans of wrestling help with his show. I know this seems like a rant about AEW but I think fixing the problems with AEW can help other promotions such as NJPW. With recent news of Tony changing the script last minute (The thing people used to complain about WWE doing), I feel Tony need to step back and let some experienced and intelligent veterans of wrestling help with his show. I know this seems like a rant about AEW but I think fixing the problems with AEW can help other promotions such as NJPW. Thank you if you read all this rant.

Drilla Moloney of the wardogs should be a Jr Heavyweight that moves up to the heavyweight division.

Moxley has objectively underperformed as champion. That is my main problem with his video. He even flat out denied it when I asked him about it, even though year over year attendance figures are publicly available. NJPW has been notably up in attendance all year during 2024. The attendance was slightly down compared to 2023 during Moxleys first tour. People just tend to ignore metrics when it doesnt suit their opinion.

I met Jeff Cobb at a training seminar and he is awesome more people need to talk about him.

That Tekken 4 Select soundbyte tho 🔥

15:45 They kinda are I was at Resurgence this year in Ontario, California and Gabe Kidd won the Strong Openweight Championship against Eddie Kingston (The Match sucked to watch in person if you weren’t close to the ring cause the screen in the Arena was off for the whole match but I was still able to see what happened) but I was glad they made Gane Kidd win a title after failing to beat Shingo for the Never Openweight Championship Also looked up the only things Zack Accomplished in NJPW is being 3x IWGP Tag Team Champion and 2x NJPW World Television Championship and 2x New Japan Cup Winner and thats it

Aew about to bury them just like did TNA.

Shota Umino, ZSJ, David Finlay, Jeff Cobb, TJP, Gabbe kid they should give em a chance

Goto has actually won the IWGP IC title multiple times while he was rivaling with Nakamura. Edit: Also, ZSJ was one of my top wrestlers of the year because he’s NJPW World TV title reign was the only reason why I was watching NJPW.

Quick correction. Hiromu has challenged for the Heavyweight title twice. Its always been a one time thing tho.

You need to look up All Japan Pro-Wrestling from the 1990s, in particular 1992 through 1996. Thank me later.

It’s crazy that the Best Of The Super Juniors 31 Finals will main event at Dominion. Given that they have junior matches are before the main event.

So I like what this guy is suggesting (even though I hate his teleprompter-ish delivery), but as much as Shota taking the title off of Moxley is a great idea, if you don’t give ZSJ that G1 win, followed by that WrestleKingdom main event and World Title victory, you’re gonna risk him abandoning ship once his contract is up and alienating a bunch of fans in the process. Shota can afford to wait another year for his moment in the sun, but from a business sense, I don’t think ZSJ can wait any longer for his own moment in the sun. And I’m gonna go one step further and say that there’s been a drop in interest for Japanese wrestling overall for reasons similar to what’s been mentioned here about NJPW. A reliance on the same handful of homegrowns and outside talent, while very rarely giving any new homegrowns a chance to shine. TJPW, for the longest time they only let the same four people ever hold the top title. DDT… well actually, they kinda fell off my radar when the WrestleUniverse website got a revamp, and so many things from their library never got uploaded to the new site, along with a not as great search engine. Nevertheless, NJPW is the puro name currently the most spoken by international fans, but the problems that company has been having feel pretty universal to me regarding the whole puro scene.

Jay White dropped it to Okada at the ROH/NJPW MSG show

its crazy how I first heard about evil in an old supereyepatchwolf video and he seemed really interesting in LIJ and at that point the most recent thing I knew about him was him joining the bullet club. seeing the turnaround to everyone hating him without knowing what happened to get to that was very interesting to me. I really should be paying more attention to the wider wrestling landscape

14:03 true on Goto. He was nicknamed the MVP of the New Japan Cup. He won that tournament like 3 times in a row and failed each title to win the title. But he was always given the Intercontinental title or Openweight title.

Gedo is 25% at fault tony kahn is 50% economy 25%

I would say that Super Eyepatch Wolf did a great job of outlining Evil’s heel turn- being afraid of being forgotten by his LIJ brethren led him to turning his back. If they had made him into a viscous, Evil, champion that reigned with Dick Togo as his silent messenger of doom- no doubt it could have been a pretty good period but I don’t know about it anymore

On the topic of New Japan having a handful of favorites that they have primarily hovering around the main event scene, that’s just sorta the general booking philosophy of Puro, and has been for a while. Now, that’s not to say it shouldn’t change and that NJPW shouldn’t be more flexible. I believe a part of why Misawa left AJPW was because he wanted more rising talent to join him and the rest of the pillars in the main event scene, but Motoko Baba wanted to keep going with just the pillars as the safety option during that uncertain point in AJPW’s history.

The issue with New Japan is that they are focusing on making their partners happy and, outside of CMLL, all their partners are using that to take advantage of New Japan. Gedo has been coasting for years; if Gedo is removed and they put someone who's willing to book with NEW JAPAN'S interests first and their partners second, they can turn around. Granted, American fans may hate it and TK will stop working with them but it's the best thing they could do. Both All Japan and NOAH are putting out consistently better products than New Japan because they haven't been following that stupid path New Japan has.

You guys should do a collab your reactions to this man are killing me🤣🤣

Mox wasn't a top NJPW star now in AEW. He debuted in both promotions in the same week and worked between both until Covid Ibushi is who you were forgetting. He was the first champion when they unified the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles NJPW keeping the same few guys at the top is the norm in most Japanese promotions. The Japanese fans are more hesitant to embrace change than western fans. Noah is even worse for it than NJPW. It's less common in Joshi promotions because many retire quite young

I mean to be fair, guys like Shota, Ren, and (sadly) Evil have been getting a lot more screen time

Finally people who fw shota just as much as i do

Call me crazy but along with the four young lions who have a potential, I feel like the one thing or the one guy that could really save New Japan is Takeshita Him being with the Don Callis family does him no favors, and while he has had good matches in AEW they have yet to pull the trigger on him I feel if he was in NJPW he could be a main eventer and mix it up with guys like Shota Yumino and Yoto Tsuji, hell since Tanahashi finna be done put him in a rivalry with Tanahashi and have him be the one to take him out

Man it’s crazy how NJPW has fallen. I watched a little earlier than you did and the roster was incredible. Tanahashi, Nakamura, Styles, Okada, Naito, Shibata, and those were just some of the top heavyweights. Up and down the card everyone who wasn’t just super old could wrestle their asses off. It seemed like they couldn’t miss. Sad to see them down

I think Gedo’s current booking is alienating the home fans. The fans that DO attend the road to shows and every night of bosj are being told by booking that their money doesn’t matter as much as the money of the people who attend the American shows. The booking heavily leans towards appealing to a western audience instead of giving long term fans what they’ve been asking to see for years(A LONG NAITO TITLE REIGN FFS) the fans haven’t been quiet about what they want to see but Gedo isn’t listening.

Puroresu guys has been doing spreadsheets since the early 00s. Then folks on Twitter adopted it into thread I wanna say around 2014/2015.

Instead of Shota beating Moxley at the Tokyo Dome, I'd fantasy book him to beat Okada. This is how we arrive at the Tokyo Dome. Moxley beats Evil at Dominion, a battle royale is held on either Dynamite or Collision where the winner faces Moxley at Forbidden Door. Shota wins runs it back with Moxley at the ppv and comes so close but gets so over in defeat. Basically duplicate the magic from the Wheeler Yuta/Moxley match on Rampage from 2022. After the match, Shota gets up to a standing ovation. Mox enters a programme with Okada on the road to Wembley. AT ALL IN, Okada cheats to beat Moxley. They could sell this 1st time match up as one of the triple main events of ALL IN. NB: The ''triple main events'' in this fantasy booking for ALL IN will be Keith Lee (who returns to win the Owen Hart tournament ) vs Swerve for the AEW title, Moxley vs Okada for the IWGP title and Jaimie Hayter vs Toni storm. Btw I'd book Toni storm to retain by the skin of her teeth following a heel turn of Britt Baker to Jaimie Hayter. Back to the IWGP title story. So after Okada beats Moxley, in a classic dick move he refuses to enter this year's G1 and claims no one in NJPW is on his level. This allows all the participants in the G1 to actually step up their game because the goal is to bring the IWGP title ''home''. David Finlay who constantly brags about being ''The Saviour'' of NJPW can actually try and save the company from Okada in his G1 Journey. Ultimately, the finals comes down to Moxley vs Shota part 3. Where the student finally beats the teacher. In the semi finals Shota can beat ZSJ. That match would be dope. So with Shota securing his Wrestle Kingdom shot, he is now seen as a reliable and credible future prospect of NJPW. Over in AEW, I'd book a unification at Full Gear between Okada vs Will Ospreay. The International title vs The Continental title. Winner becomes undisputed AEW International title. Then the winner of the Continental Classic gets an AEW title shot at Revolution going forward. So Okada goes on a little belt collector run similar to an old rival of his😉 Heck, Okada can be so petty he ditches the Rainmaker in favour of the one winged angel as his finisher during this belt collector run. I'd book an anti-hero Konosuke Takeshita to square up against the Elite eventually crossing paths with Okada en route to World's end where Okada drops the International title to Takeshita. That man definitely needs some gold. So the build to WK can be Okada underestimating Shota because of his inexperience in big matches. The classic cocky veteran vs humble rookie. Okada can say his dad (Red shoes) uses to raise his hands in big matches and it will be no different this time. But, Red shoes doesn't call the match he rather accompanies his son to the ring. They could even tease Red shoes throwing in the towel following Okada brutally slapping a submission move on Shota. I'd have Okada nail him with 2 solid rainmakers and have him beat but his ego cost him the match as he sets Shota up for a one winged angel but Shota counters and hits Okada with a death rider before hitting his finisher for the win. What y'all think?

oh. Reddit and Twitter are where the bigger fans are. 2 websites I do not use. So I guess I am learning more about the NewJapan community in this video than I 1st thought

TBF NJPW rebelled against Moxley vs EVIL, because NJPW’s fan base is OVER AEW as well as not liking House of Torture.

Everything you said in this video sooplex you were definitely right😂😂

How much longer do you think NJPW kinda waste ZSJ before he’s leaving and coming to North America

Next, you should do Why fans started watching wwe again. Great video i hope you have a great day

Man 2013-2017 was peak NJPW for the west now its just there its worse than TNA with booking and storyline its only saving grace is that its based in Japan.

Covid ended a lot of their best storylines and they had no real replacements for it or the talent they lost when AEW was created and later in 2024. That and AEW poisoned the well hard. It is showcasing the worst elements of their style and their previous talent to an American audience. Plus Mox as champion isn't something to be hopeful for, nor the upcoming Dominion match and G1.

You know, at some point, you gotta make a video about EVIL because damn dude 😂😂😂😂

As the only EVIL defender in the comments so far, I will say, ever since SHO joined the group in 2021, that’s when HoT started getting creative with the interferences. The one I immediately go to is 2022 where EVIL became the referee in SHO’s match with Taguchi, the recent NJC match with Shingo where they got Shingo hit with BUSHI’s mist, Kanemaru’s drink, and powder, and last years WTL where they were trying to brainwash people into wearing their shirts. HoT nowadays are having way more fun matches if they are limited to around 10-15 minutes. NJPW let them commit to being the mid-card comedy heel stable. If they were not still under the Bullet Club labeI, they were be perfectly fine on the roster.

Gedo booking is the source of everything. Everything started in the G1 Climax making Hikuleo beating Ren Narita, Yuti Tsuji and Shota Umino. Trying to make David Finlay take Jay White spot. I think loosing big stars exposed their booking and stop blaming AEW

Let’s face it New Japan is a niche thing for us here. In Japan it works but not here. Hence why I keep saying that whatever works in Japan doesn’t mean it’ll work here (I’m looking at you Tony Khan!)

Gabe Kidd is easily the best of his generation right now

It's crazy because I really want to get into NJPW. I love the war dogs, and I've always been a big bullet club fan before them but I just watched their stuff. It's hard for me to get into it because I don't know where to go to watch, and how to actually get into the totality of it all.

people need to chill, it survived on its own multiple times and doesnt need us "westerners"

AEW didn’t ruin NJPW, but it ruined their American expansion. AEW just ate that whole audience

I liked Evil when he was in LIJ because he had the robe and the scythe and he was rad as hell. I love characters like that. But then he turned heel and got fucking terrible.

I mean they have been booking the same set of wrestlers for the last decade and other companies basically start signing away those talents one by one till today from WWE or AEW.

New Japan like many Japanese promotions are just stuck in their ways. So many stars that they never push to be champ while keeping the same batch. Goto and Ishii have been there since the 2nd Gen Three Musketeers of Nakamura, Tanahashi, & Shibata and have never been THE champ. Zack Sabre Jr has been the best gaijin there and yet never wins. Suzuki had been champ in All Japan & NOAH but yet never got the IWGP heavyweight title (heard main reason was cause he is a freelancer and they want someone who is signed to em). And Bullet Club has run its course. They’re basically split into multiple groups: War Dogs, House of Torture, Fale’s group in the New Zealand brand, ABC in TNA (I don’t even know why they’re still BC when they haven’t been in New Japan on a long time since Jay White was the leader), and now Bullet Club Gold seem to finally change their name to Bang Bang Gang (kinda cringe. They could’ve called the,selves maybe Switchblade Club).

Njpw, cmll, Lu are jobber farm for aew. Iwgp belt is now a midcard belt for aew. 🤷‍♂️

sorry I like NJPW 2014 they also have Nakamura and AJ Styles That time for me OMG the best

I still love NJPW

They need to go with Jeff Cobb as the face of the company

Two things with NJPW and why it can't be saved. First NJPW was a big Fish in a small pond a pond that got even smaller once AEW came along. Second what does NJPW do that AEW Doesn't already do much better the same thing happen to ROH once AEW Came along ROH pretty much became expandable and the same thing is happening to NJPW

I don’t think any of the Three Musketeers are ready for the top spot if being honest. I think their ring skills aren’t up to par yet. Just imo

All I see in the comments are "It's AEW fault"...... Where's the self accountability? NJ didn't have to agree to anything.... And the lost talent was gonna move on one way or another... Shotty booking of future talent is AEW fault as well? Covid hurting the biz was Tony? This is the same as saying WWE is the reason why WCW is out of business... Which is a crazy lie

New Japan been pretty mid this year but they have guys with a lot of potential Tsuji umino Fujita and Oiwa when he gets back from Noah it’ll be a rough few years probably but they’ll get back on track

Hear me out let's have Naito win a new iwgp intercontinental title fresh out of retirement... Huh? No? I tried....

Evil vs Mox is a joke 😂

You started watching njpw when Dean ambrose was there your not that guy to judge how long someone else been watching

New Japan only have 2 wrestlers that still work for their company that have on a G1 in the last 10 years, let that sink in😂 and one of em is washed and the other is reaching the end of his prime .

Evil and house of torture main reason i don't watch njpw anymore

Great video

Sooplex can you live stream WWE 2k24 myfaction

Plz do more vids

Nice video

Also New Japan just can’t seem to get that their titles of brands they ended should either be retired or name changed. NEVER was their NXT before NXT became a thing. The day they crowned the first NEVER Openweight Champ is the day they held the final show for NEVER than like years after they ended it they make the NEVER 6-Man Tag titles. And than there’s STRONG. That was their American show for their supposed American brand during the lockdowns and even continued on once we opened back up. But than last year they decided to change STRONG from being a weekly tv show to being the brand name for their American PPVs. Speaking of American PPVs those mostly have guys from AEW & ROH and hardly ever the top New Japan guys. I had said New Japan & Tony Khan should merge ROH & STRONG into one brand they share as developmental.

First like and first comment team💯💯

Gabe kidd njpw strong championship

Once the G.O.D broke up i stopped watching

This narrative thar aew is killing njpw is laughable njpw was always loosing stars but there ability to make stars with intriguing storylines.

New Japan is not willing to adapt and change their format in the booking.

It’s the worst booked company in all of pro wrestling

New Japan fans complaining about the partnership with aew is crazy as a NOAH fan. Not only did they have no problem sending guys out to the US and Europe, but Suzuki-gun literally took over the product for a while. NOAH guys left for WWE or NJPW (Ishimori, Kenta, TMDK, ZSJ, heck they even got Shibata back) and we just took the L's. Yes I'm petty. Now I gotta watch Goto vs Shibata and relive how they wasted that man. Don't care who it is, no one deserves that.

And let’s be real .. the fact that pro wrestling has gone down so far that virtual wrestling has become a new hit place for actual wrestling fans.. it’s a little scary, but it’s telling about the future.. if new Japan doesn’t go full virtual 3D experience and make a step towards something new , they will fade into indie hell

No one cares about njpw