Originally posted by ObserverIn what is a major political move, New Japan Pro Wrestling has booked Jushin Liger to appear on 8/22 for WWE on its NXT Brooklyn show, to face Tyler Breeze.
New Japan had already booked Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada and Kushida for ROH that same night, also in Brooklyn.
There are other significant moves being made behind-the-scenes that don't involve New Japan, regarding NXT and ROH that are likely to become evident in short order.
I would think that ROH would be incredibly pissed about this especially with the timing. The "significant moves behind the scenes" business is going to have to play itself out, but if nothing else it should be cool to see him in NXT.
Tyler Breeze is an interesting choice for an opponent since Liger just worked a good fun match with Dalton Castle. Breeze is more polished, but Castle is more entertaining. Although Liger just being there is really the point.
The thought of some kind of partnership is hard for me to wrap my head around right now.
saw the typo in the title after hitting Submit but before the page loaded and literally went "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoI would think that ROH would be incredibly pissed about this especially with the timing.
I would bet so too, but they're comprimised. They can't really do anything about it without risking losing the bigger name NJPW guys, who are probably drawing as much for ROH as their own guys right now. This - among other moves - is a pretty clear indication that WWE sees ROH as a bug to be squashed. (They're the new #2!)
Interested in what NJPW is getting out of this. Lyger's said he always wanted to have one match in WWE so maybe that's just it for him, but - NJPW likes to send it's trainees out of Japan for a couple years to learn different things (and so the fans don't think of them as trainees any more.) They haven't had much success sending those people to the US since WCW went away, but sending them to Performance Center might fill that need. Would make some sense the other way too.
Wonder if this is Liger's "farewell tour", so to speak. Once he checks "have a match in WWE" off his bucket list, perhaps he looks to hang up the mask.
I think it would be really smart for NJPW to find a working relationship with NXT specifically. NXT can benefit the most from having the Japanese contingent swing through for just a few matches (they'd have to craft story for them on RAW or Smackdown, while you can literally just say "Hey, NJPW sent a few guys to work the performance center and gain experience with our NXT superstars!"). NXT provides them with a much wider audience than ROH, both from the show itself and related articles and coverage.
Meanwhile, the young NXT wrestlers can get an experience of international styles and get a broader base of training and experience that's harder to come by nowadays. HHH seems really high onn the people with a lot of indy experience recently, and this is a way to help provide that kind of experience in-house with people you're training more from scratch.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Originally posted by CEOIIIWonder if this is Liger's "farewell tour", so to speak. Once he checks "have a match in WWE" off his bucket list, perhaps he looks to hang up the mask.
I was thinking the same. He's 50 years old and has had a thirty year career. He does either tags or matches that revolve around outside titles these days and really doesn't play much of a role in the main angles in NJPW.
Originally posted by thecubsfan Interested in what NJPW is getting out of this. Lyger's said he always wanted to have one match in WWE so maybe that's just it for him, but - NJPW likes to send it's trainees out of Japan for a couple years to learn different things (and so the fans don't think of them as trainees any more.) They haven't had much success sending those people to the US since WCW went away, but sending them to Performance Center might fill that need. Would make some sense the other way too.
Maybe the WWE really wants Cody Hall? Anyway, it would be interesting if NJPW sent their guys to NXT. Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu have to go overseas soon, right? They can't be beating each other with half-crabs forever.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoTyler Breeze is an interesting choice for an opponent since Liger just worked a good fun match with Dalton Castle. Breeze is more polished, but Castle is more entertaining. Although Liger just being there is really the point.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoTyler Breeze is an interesting choice for an opponent since Liger just worked a good fun match with Dalton Castle. Breeze is more polished, but Castle is more entertaining.
Taker and Hogan need to fight out this number one contender crap. Unfortunately, they are on different shows, so they can only meet at PPV. If you give them the match there, they would have their title match the same night.