https://youtu.be/ueWAzVxJ0E4
Well, I'm sold lol. These are the types of promos you just don't hear anymore. Maybe in AEW sometimes, but this is different because these guys have been kept apart and it feels like a legit grudge match. And NJPW is just so unique.
Sasha's character in WWE relied so much on crowd reaction and being able to feed off them. Obviously she'll be fine in AEW but considering how different New Japan crowds are to WWE crowds, just no reaction when she came out at all.
That will be the biggest adjustment I think she'll have to make to succeed in New Japan and will be interesting to see how she makes that adjustment.
Pre-Show was nice, the Inoki Memorial six-man tag had the biggest reactions until the main events and it was just a fun time for long time viewers. 3 minute exhibition was weird, but it happened, and I watched it, that's about all I got, the battle royale was a battle royale.
Catch 2/2 and LiYoh was a good hot opener even if the crowd didn't totally buy in at first, I generally find myself enjoying Lio Rush matches but he didn't do a ton of his Lio Rush stuff, which took me out of it for a little.
Enjoyed Tam/Kairi for what it was, I know the women's matches for NJPW are just for the American audience and I shouldn't expect too much, but it was like 6 minutes, and I think both girls deserved better. Little awkward from Mercedes, but this isn't going to be her main audience anyway, I assume she'll get better reacts in Stardom, and during the state-side tours, which is what the IWGP Women's Championship is for.
Bishamon vs FTR was a decent TV style match, but again I thought we'd get more than 10 minutes for this. FTR's IWGP reign felt uneventful, but I am curious to see where Bishamon goes from here.
As an unabashed Ren Narita mark, loved the 10 minute tv sprint vs ZSJ, blonde ZSJ doesn't really hit the same yet, but him joining TMDK is exciting. They kept talking about him being wanted for factions, and him leading TMDK is a good place for him to go next with Suzuki-Gun ending.
Find someone who loves you like Gedo loves Karl Anderson. Match was surprisingly not the drizzling ****s, but man Karl Anderson just sucks, I don't really like Tama Tonga either, but I'm interested in his face turn. He felt a little DoA since GoD wasn't big enough to make their departure from BC that notable outside of the people who watch NJPW all the time
Keiji Muto's retirement match was great, and we finally got an entrance reaction out of the crowd for Muto. It was obvious Bushi was taking the fall, but it's clear they see a lot in Umino as they gave him the pin. I still pop for the Shining Wizard.
It felt a little disjointed, then a little telegraphed, then a bit ham-fisted, but I did enjoy the overall structure of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight match. Master Wato still rules, Despy is good for one weird or insane spot, Takahashi hit for most of it rather than missed like he sometimes can, and Ishimori did Ishimori things.
Omega vs Ospreay delivered as expected. Enjoyed the leveling from previous encounters, and the general story of strikes couldn't finish each other during the finishing sequence. I think there's a lot left to tell between the two of them, and I look forward to more of the matches, early MOTYC
Okada vs White didn't live up to Omega/Ospreay but it was still a good match. You could feel the catharsis in the crowd as Okada kept overcoming Jay's usual tactics. Jay had a good heel reign, and it feels like they got the belt off of him at a good time.
Overall great show, I wish they would've cut 10 minutes from the last three matches and given the 2nd and 3rd matches a little more time. Great Day 1 of WK17.
Omega/Ospreay was great. Felt like the first big NJPW quality match since the start of the pandemic. Crowd + match quality felt like 2019. Hearing Don Callis back on the booth with Kevin Kelly made me happy.
Sasha debuting I did not really care about.
Anderson vs Tonga was good.
FTR vs Yoshi/Goto was great too. Crowd was really into FTR, especially their old school spots and finisher.
NJPW is in a interesting place. Cycling some foreign talent out and some in. I'm really curious what Omega does this year. And how many AEW guys make the trip over there.
Overall I was happy to see and hear the crowd being somewhat back to normal.
01-03-2023, 10:23 PM
