NJPW - TPWW ***OFFICIAL*** Discussion Thread -- New Japan of America announced

[Mr. Nerfect]

I've definitely heard that he got good in Japan. CM Punk likes him too, which boosted his cred. Hell, I think it even bought into it. You're probably just talking to smarter people.

You're right on the Liger front. I got the feeling that Nakamura heading to WWE was something that New Japan was behind? I mean, they obviously would have liked to have kept Nakamura, but they knew he was leaving when he wrestled AJ Styles, right? I thought it was like a send-off. I wasn't aware of there being any heat there.

I think you're right about them needing to approach it as relative equals. I mean, obviously a New Japan match is not going to headline a WrestleMania, whereas Daniel Bryan, hypothetically, probably would headline Wrestle Kingdom. It would be a proportionate relationship. But I agree generally with what you're saying there. I do think that there is monetary value in terms of them maybe being able to keep talent that otherwise might want to branch out and can help "create stars" (as much as the WWE has stars in 2018). It allows for merchandising opportunities and it thumps those individuals who think that they don't need the WWE because they've got the New Japan/ROH relationship. More content. I mean, they gobble up content when they don't even have the intention of showing it. It would really put the pressure on ROH, which is fun for them, and they might even knock them down enough pegs that Sinclair considers selling it to them. Even more content.

It's a bit silly to argue in defense on this hypothetical arrangement, because the status quo is the status quo for a reason, and it's unlikely things change that much. But goddamn if it isn't a potentially interesting time. Because Bryan could do that. I sincerely think that talent can hold Vince up for a lot more freedom than ever before. Just like Vince managed to use the UFC and the interest from FOX in order to bounce up his TV deals, I can see WWE talent being able to use the ambitious nature of New Japan right now push up their deals. What's more appealing to Vince: Having Daniel Bryan as a WWE guy winning a belt in Japan while remaining under your umbrella, or having Bryan leave the WWE, go to New Japan and potentially create a storm with no monetary benefit? This stops the arms race (not that Vince is scared -- it's just pointless) and makes sure everybody except ROH has access to the weapons they want.

Plus, it would be something creatively for WWE as well. I wouldn't expect to see many New Japan storylines or whatever, but being able to throw Minoru Suzuki at a Seth Rollins or something means they can keep guys cycling and not getting too stale. Which doesn't seem to be an active concern of theirs -- unless it results in talent feeling unfulfilled and wanting to cycle themselves out. And you never know if something is going to click. Maybe Hiroshi Tanahashi works a gem in WWE and Randy Orton is the best thing ever in New Japan? I'm just randomly spit-balling there. Those could be monetary gains for WWE if Tanahashi becomes every school-age boy's favorite wrestler.

It would be more of a "fertilization" strategy, I guess. And it would increase the perception of the size of what Vince is trying to achieve. The WWE Network has original content, but it is in-house. Opening it up means that the WWE Network starts to become more of its own service. Vince has always wanted to start a football league and get WWE shined up so it's in the position that it could be bought by Disney -- but maybe he actually wants to be Disney?

[Ultra Mantis]

Originally Posted by Noid You're right on the Liger front. I got the feeling that Nakamura heading to WWE was something that New Japan was behind? I mean, they obviously would have liked to have kept Nakamura, but they knew he was leaving when he wrestled AJ Styles, right? I thought it was like a send-off. I wasn't aware of there being any heat there.

The send off was for AJ, who had let them know in advance he wanted to go and work back home. It was all booked around the usurping of AJ by Kenny Omega because AJ couldn't get the job done and then Omega would challenge Nakamura and beat him for the IC belt to prove he can do what AJ could not.

Nakamura however, along with Gallows and Anderson, allegedly told New Japan he was leaving on the morning of Wrestle Kingdom which gave them a bit of a dilemma because both guys in the IC match are now leaving, so they can't just change the finish to fix it. Plus the big Bullet Club angle was attached on the following night's show, based on AJ failing here.

They went ahead as planned with the whole thing, even down to Kenny challenging Nakamura and Gallows & Anderson siding with Omega then bumbling around for a month because everyone knew they were leaving too, but the payoff match never happened because it would have taken place two weeks after his contract expired and he became property of the Performance Center. Instead they stripped Nakamura of the IC belt and had him work six man tags until he left. Okada cried, then Omega went over Tanahashi instead. I don't believe there was any heat on Nakamura for leaving, he had stuck with the company through the dark times, but WWE sniping him and ruining the payoff of that angle definitely didn't go over well.