So rumour has it (Zach Arnold being "rumor") that Keiji Mutoh (the Great Muta) called Shane McMahon to get himself (as Muta, presumably) Satoshi Kojima and Taiyo Kea booked for some WWF events.
Firstly: do any of you know who these guys are?
Secondly: would you care if they showed up on WWF TV?
Third: how would you book them?
I personally would mark out for Bald Muta vs. Tajiri or Kojima vs. uh...ah...err...Stephanie? Because the angle would HAVE to involve her.
*sigh*
"People building their own cages rage at thoughts of liberation."- 15
Ok.. honest answer here... Other than the Great Muta, I know virtually nil of the others. I've heard the names before, but thats about it. Would I care if they were in the WWF? Yeah. I think it would be nice to get some Japan stars in there, freshen things up a bit. Could make for an interesting angle and maybe it could Tajiri back on screen. That'd make it worth it for me.
"Are those two the gay ones you were talking about? I mean... look at those hideous pants.." - a female friend on seeing Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho on screen
First: But of course. Watching the Rock trying to sell a Shining Wizard would be a rare and beautiful thing, as would Kojima and Bradshaw playing Dueling Lariats.
Second: I would mark the hell out if they showed up...
Third: ...IF they were treated with a tiny bit of respect and credibility. Having them hit by a tequila bottle, playing choppy-choppy-your-pee-pee or jobbing to Billy & Chuck in three minutes would be a much more likely scenario.
Realistically: IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
HELLO KITTY gang terrorizes city, family STICKERED to death!
Since the nWo has been watered down to pussies I suggest bringing these guys in as part of Kaientai and giving them a bad ass heel turn where they wreak havoc on the WWF. Man I'm out of it today.
Actually, I think the best wrestler to bring in from Japan would be Jushin Lyger. Wait until Chris Benoit comes back to active wrestling, then bring in Lyger as a "face from the past". Have Lyger talk about the old "Wild Pegasus" days, and how Benoit is nothing now compared to those years in Japan. Even bring up the fact that Benoit spent more time recovering from neck surgery than Lyger did from brain surgery. All kinds of angles would be possible. Not to mention the possible "superhero" team with Lyger and Hurricane!
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yeah they could even throw in Lance Storm and have three way matches with Thunder, Hurricane, and Storm. :)
The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. I can fuck better than anybody who can fuck faster, and I can fuck faster than anybody who can fuck better.
Well, Liger wrestled in Calgary about 15 or so years ago and was there for a while, so one would assume he has at least some degree of English speaking ability.
Personally, I don't want to see it. Just like I don't want to see luchadors in the WWF. They have never, will not and probably never will be booked or pushed correctly.
I'd rather just get my imported videos every month.
"The best reason for committing loathsome & detestable acts -and let's face it, I am considerably something of an expert in the field - is purely for their own sake. Monetary gain is all very well, but it dilutes the tastes of wickedness to a lower level that is obtainable by anyone will an overdeveloped sense of avarice. True and baseless evil is as rare as the purest good - and we all know how rare THAT is." - Acheron Hades, THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jaspar Fforde
I dont know anything about japanese wrestlers but I wouldnt object to the WWF bringing some of the top ones in for some fueds with the top card guys for a few months. That could be a shot in the arm that the WWF needs. But the problem is that the WWF thinks that the fans are too stupid to appreciate it. I know they would take the japanese wrestlers and dumb them down or make comedy acts out of them. If done right a few intense skilled Japanese workers cas heels could get over with the fans. Throw them in a fued with Stone Cold, HHH, Rock, Angle, or Benoit, and actually have the Japanese guys get the best of the WWF guys it could work.
I don't think it would work in the main event, except maybe with Jericho and/or Benoit [assuming he makes it back to main event status.] The majority of the audience doesn't really appreciate wrestling for its own sake, so they'd have to find some way for the audience to care about what they were doing. I can't imagine Austin, Rock, Angle, or HHH being able to work well with the Japanese style. Austin had a match with Muta years ago that was really terrible.
"No one has a beer party at Scott Hall's expense!"
Originally posted by WTF13 The majority of the audience doesn't really appreciate wrestling for its own sake, so they'd have to find some way for the audience to care about what they were doing. I can't imagine Austin, Rock, Angle, or HHH being able to work well with the Japanese style. Austin had a match with Muta years ago that was really terrible.
Thats my point, we (and the WWF) just assume the audience wouldnt like it. Give the fans more credit. Everyone respects a well done ass whupping. Say Muta went down to the Ring and beat Stone Cold bloody during a "what" filled promo, trust me the fans would sit up and take notice. And if they structured the fued correctly where the SCSA is actually on the receiving ends of some pins and beatdowns, the fans would love it when he finally got over Muta or whoever.
I think the WWF could make sense of Muta coming into the WWF if they allude to his past as a member of the nWo. in actuality, Muta, along with Masa Chono, joined the nWo not too long after the nWo's inception in WCW, and, along with the impostor nWo Sting, Mike Rotunda, Hiro Saito and Hiroyoshi Tenzan (and more?), existed as the New World Order faction in New Japan, around early 1997. If the WWF wanted to really shoe that the nWo is the poison, so to speak, then bringing in foreign elements could definitely help put a point across that the nWo is an invading force.
I don't think it would be a good idea to overshadow Muta with Hogan, Hall, and Nash, but they could do a lot with Muta and the nWo, especially if the WWF is not afraid to show recent footage of Muta in All Japan Pro Wrestling, AND make mention of the fact that, prior to February 24, 2002, Muta was AJPW's Triple Crown champion (of course, All Japan's version of the World's Heavyweight Championship).
As far as Kojima and Taiyo Kea go, I would hate to see them go to the WWF and get cast as stereotypical Japanese wrestlers like Kai En Tai and Tajiri. Many of us know how good Tajiri, Michinoku, and Funaki COULD be, but they're not being used well at all in my opinion. I can't speak of Kojima since I've never seen a match of his, but I have seen a few Taiyo Kea matches, and the guy is just AWESOME.
But I think I've blabbed on too much to go on any further. :)
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I remember when the All Japan/WWF rumour started a few months ago, and I wished it was New Japan instead, as I'd rather see Mutoh, Kojima and Tenzan. I guess two out of three aint bad.
Originally posted by odessastepsPersonally, I don't want to see it. Just like I don't want to see luchadors in the WWF. They have never, will not and probably never will be booked or pushed correctly.
I totally agree. To get the Japanese guys over they would need to be presented in the right light, and assuming there would no use of the mic to assist them, they would need to be portrayed as wrestlers in wrestling based storylines. Do I really need to clarify why that wouldn't happen in the WWF?
Of course if Mutoh ever did get handled correctly on American soil, I'd mark out like a child . I mean I'd love to see it, but it'd only ever get done correctly in fantasy booking land.
I also think the point about giving the audience a chance is moot. Vince promotes sports entertainment, and he doesn't seem to use Japanese talent in a credible way, so the audience isn't likely to get a chance to see if they like it.
"Nobody enjoys a good time more than I do, but this business of yours is as legitimate as a three-legged donkey...which of course is illegitimate because as we all know donkeys have four legs."
Hey, just as a point of information...Mutoh speaks perfect english, Kea is basically a white guy from Hawaii, and I wouldn't be shocked if Kojim knew english as well.
Sometimes Vince feels all fruity and pushes a Japanese worker...remember Hakushi (Shinzaki)? His big stumbling block wasn't McMahon, but the fact that no one would put him over or give him rub (except Bret, of course).
Christ, I was watching AWA Wrestlerock 86 last night and it featured Buck Zumhoff jobbing to (get this) TIGER MASK MISAWA. Anything is possible, eh?
(edited by Travis on 8.3.02 1108)
"People building their own cages rage at thoughts of liberation."- 15
Speaking of Tiger Mask Misawa, he and Baba wrestled in the first Jim Crockett Cup tournament in 87 (I think).
I wonder how many people watching the WWF who also watched WCW would even recognize Mutoh now, what with his Stone Cold look and all?
"The best reason for committing loathsome & detestable acts -and let's face it, I am considerably something of an expert in the field - is purely for their own sake. Monetary gain is all very well, but it dilutes the tastes of wickedness to a lower level that is obtainable by anyone will an overdeveloped sense of avarice. True and baseless evil is as rare as the purest good - and we all know how rare THAT is." - Acheron Hades, THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jaspar Fforde
That brings up a question I've had kind of bubbling at the back of my mind for a while now...
Since Mutoh shaved his head and turned himself into Mr. Saito Jr. has he even *wrestled* as Muta? It'd look pretty bizarre, I bet... although maybe he'd paint his whole head up like that. He'd have enough room to write all SORTS of things then.
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"I'd rather just get my imported videos every month."
Sorry to stray off-topic for a sec, but I just got a tape of Chris Benoit's matches in Japan (Highspots.com - Best of Chris Benoit in japan) It was worth the 10 bucks for the first match alone! Benoit v. Lyger. in the opening minutes, Benoit (Pegasus Kid) military press-slams Lyger to the concrete floor, then immediately glides to the top rope and executes a perfect front dropkick. After this, he slides back to the ring and raises both fists like "Who da MAN?!" Also, he had two KICKASS finishers back then. A tombstone piledriver off the second rope, and a top rope powerbomb! I'm hoping Vince (that rat bastard...) brings in some Japanese workers just so Benoit would have some guys willing to take those moves on American tv. Once is all I ask. In fact, it would be a BEAUTIFUL thing (but so f*ckin' unlikely) to see Triple H, Angle or Stone Cold take a top-rope powerbomb from Benoit!
A friend in need is a friend indeed, but a friend with weed is MUCH better!
Jericho is in the ring cutting a promo about how he is the Undispyooted champion (after blowing off the HHH feud) with his two belts when out comes Mutoh wearing his 27 belts. They have little 3 week feud, Mutoh jobs, and then Mutoh goes back to Japan. Jericho (or whoever) goes there for a couple weeks, does the same angle, and returns the favor. Jericho and Mutoh could definitely put on a North-American PPV worthy match or two.
I think it could work as a cool little mini-feud. I don't think Mutoh or any other Japanese star could really come over here and have any kind of extended run or complicated angle or character.
Originally posted by MoeGatesMaybe an angle that could work is this:
Jericho is in the ring cutting a promo about how he is the Undispyooted champion (after blowing off the HHH feud) with his two belts when out comes Mutoh wearing his 27 belts. They have little 3 week feud, Mutoh jobs, and then Mutoh goes back to Japan. Jericho (or whoever) goes there for a couple weeks, does the same angle, and returns the favor. Jericho and Mutoh could definitely put on a North-American PPV worthy match or two.
I think it could work as a cool little mini-feud. I don't think Mutoh or any other Japanese star could really come over here and have any kind of extended run or complicated angle or character.
Moe
I already mentioned Mutoh spoke perfect english. You do know he had a lengthy and super hot feud with Sting in 1990 over the TV title, right? That being said I dig the idea. Except Mutoh isn't triple crown champion anymore, so he doesnt have any belts :-).
Toshiaki Kawada, on the other hand....
"People building their own cages rage at thoughts of liberation."- 15
Previously discussed. Revisionist history. And dead wrong revisionist history, at that. What, you don't believe me? Then just click here, bub! Post # 22 on Page 2 of the thread, to be exact... (The W)