Rules

Guy is 22 years deep on his career (more than half his life) and is still putting out high quality work, not showing his age at all. His show today gives me a lot more respect for him as an artist as well. It was so creative and not something just any wrestler could've come up with.

The industry is lucky to have guys like Ishimori

(Full disclosure that I covered this via Twitter/NJPW’s site/ToSpo because I was not paying $22 for it and the seas were dry)

Pre-Show:

• Ishimori, in street clothes, hits in the ring 20 minutes before the main card starts, as requested by the “rogue AI” that’s hijacked the matchmaking for the show. A pair of plain black trunks is slid into the ring, and the AI tells him to change into them. Ishimori goes backstage to do so. After a few moments, the AI plays the NJPW Young Lion theme and tells Ishimori this is his entrance music for our first match.

• Taiji Ishimori (Young Lion version) def Daiki Nagai — (3:33, Cobra Twist)

Main Card

• Taiji Ishimori & KAGETORA (Dragon Gate) def Brahman Shu & Brahman Ryusuke (w/Brahman Kai) — (0:21, DQ)

• As suggested by the match graphic, the opponents are the Brahman Brothers; now freelance deathmatch wrestlers but once upon a time (that Ishimori wishes he could forget) Ishimori’s fellow Sailor Boys. Well, it’s actually one Brahman, as Kai is apparently unable to wrestle. But don’t worry, Shu has a replacement: Brahman Ryusuke, aka NJPW’s resident ass man.

• After being DQed almost immediately for throwing powder at his opponents, Brahman Shu agreed to a rematch but with conditions; it’s No DQ, No Countout, and a 3-on-1 Handicap, because it turns out Kai is able to wrestle.

• No DQ & No Count Out Handicap Match: Taiji Ishimori & KAGETORA (Dragon Gate) def Brahman Shu, Brahman Kai, Brahman Ryusuke — (7:22, flash pin)

• Brahman Shu cuts a promo cursing Ishimori. The old Sendai Sailor Boys theme begins to play, which no one is happy about.

• There is a break to clean the ring and for Ishimori to change clothes again. A video mocking Ishimori’s recent affinity for “GRACE” plays, with intermittent cuts to the room where Ishimori’s changing.

• The mystery “Fired Up NJPW Wrestler” opponent is Ichiban Sweet Young Punk Kosei Fujita.

• Taiji Ishimori vs Kosei Fujita — (Time Limit Draw, 10:00)

• Taiji Ishimori, SHO, Shun Skywalker vs

Jeff Cobb, Daisuke Sekimoto, Shuji Ishikawa — (3:48, Double Count Out)

• Once again we see a rematch, this time at Sekimoto’s request. A petulant SHO is carried back to the ring by Jeff Cobb.

• Jeff Cobb, Daisuke Sekimoto, Shuji Ishikawa def Taiji Ishimori, SHO, Shun Skywalker — (3:30, flash roll up)

• 10-Man Artisinal Rumble ft. Taiji Ishimori and More Highly-Skilled Craftspeople: Jun Kasai def Taiji Ishimori, Gedo, Dick Togo, Ikuto Hidaka (NOAH), Minoru Fujita (freelance deathmatch), Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Robbie Eagles, MAZADA (Tokyo Gurentai), Akito (DDT) — (22:58, Ishimori goes over the top rope)

• Ishimori plays the waiting game and lets everyone else eliminate each other. Kasai is the only one he actually wrestles.

• Main Event: Taiji Ishimori def Dragon Dia — (13:46, Bloody Cross)

• This was originally announced to be Dragon Kid, but when he had to bow out due to a neck injury he was replaced with a mystery opponent. The AI tries to make Ishimori wrestle an invisible Dragon Kid, but Ishimori refuses and asks for a real opponent.

• In his show closing promo, Ishimori says he’d like to face Dragon Dia again someday, as well as Dragon Kid. Maybe next year they run a sequel in Korakuen Hall? The AI says that show will feature Ishimori in a 2 hour Ironman match. Ishimori says no way in hell.

ETA: Official English recap here, though there are some minor errors and omissions.

——

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Also please report any posts that are either direct links to pirated versions of recent NJPW shows, or that link to Abema blogs that exist solely to distribute pirated content. “Breaks r/NJPW Rules” -> “Custom” -> write in the text box that it’s copyrighted content. We do not need TV Asahi on our butts.

When watching matches on New Japan world sometimes the playback will pause briefly and then skip ahead anywhere from like 2 seconds to a whole minute later in the match. This only happens when using the app on my Laptop as my phone and my Firestick versions work just fine. Is this a common issue for anyone else and how would I go about fixing it? Any advice is appreciated thanks

Does anyone have the updated list

On the plus side, the TNT title is not on the line. Could be an indication that Tsuji is going over.

So what exactly happened with Riddle and Nemeth? Both were brought in early this year and then pretty much disappeared. Neither are even booked for STRONG shows in the US.

Riddle is fairly obvious; seems like NJPW quickly realized he wasn't worth all the extra baggage.

but Nemeth leaves me wondering. I know it isn't 2013 but I still think he could have done much, much more in NJPW. Why did he only have like 3 matches? Was it a NJPW decision or Nemeth deciding he isn't interested in the travel/Japan?

On tomorrow’s recording we’ll be previewing World Tag League and reviewing Fighting Spirit Unleashed. Any questions for us?

You can open it through this link

Hello r/njpw

For those of you who don't know me, I've been making tournament summary pages for about 5 years now, covering tournaments like the G1 Climax, the Best of the Super Juniors, AEW's Continental Classic, Stardom's 5Star Grand Prix, and, more pertinently, the World Tag League

This Google Doc contains several details relating to the tournament, including:

• Block result summaries, including match results, points, win-loss records, and statuses with regards to qualifying for the finals, as well as the final playoff bracket
• Full match schedules (where available)
• A list of the top 20 matches based on CageMatch ratings (spoiler-free for those that just want match recommendations)

If you're worried about spoilers, don't worry. The link drops you on a landing page, so you don't get results thrown in your face.

I also intend to make write-ups towards the end of the tournament summarizing people's chances of qualifying for the finals. i won't be as extensive of this tournament, as I don't feel like too many people get very excited for World Tag League, but I'll be putting something out nonetheless.

Enjoy!

This is way up there. Top 10 for me. Shame it doesn’t get the Naito v Omega G1 or Okada v Shibata treatment

Been a NJPW fan for a long time, but don't understand Japanese–which wrestlers are considered good (or bad) on the mic? I assume any main eventers who close the show regularly are good, but what about midcard talents? Is Naito a good promo too? Is Yujiro Takahashi good? I want to know more!

With the massive change in J5G, with sanada leaving the group. I think it was a waste not having Sanada & Taichi be involved in the tag division first and then do the turn afterwards. This turn feels so out of left field or last minute .

The heavy tag division could have seriously benefitted from them being in the mix. The feuds they could have had with TMDK, Bishamon, Henare&Cobb, etc.

With Jack Perry challenging Yota Ysuji at Wrestle Dynasty, it occurred to me it would now be to Perry's advantage for Tsuji to beat Finlay for the Global title at WrestleKingdom (presuming he would immediately put the title on the line). Perhaps where this is headed is Perry interferes to help Tsuji win on the 4th, and when an irate Finlay attempts to return the favor on the 5th, House of Torture muscles up for their guy--finally igniting faction warfare between the two. Maybe it all culminates in a match or series to determine which gets sole rights to the Bullet Club name.

I think it'd be a cool angle, but also would essentially turn War Dogs face, and not sure if that's feasible given the two BCs are the only heels at the moment. Perhaps if Shota turns full heel and starts his own group (or revives a turned Chaos).

Should I watch preview tags I only watch the big shows never the road to but feel like I’m missing half the story what shall I do to keep more up to date