DavidB6937 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 12 minutes ago, CleetusVanDamme said: Like Joe, Roode and some others who should have been on the big shows immediately, Nakamura came up from NXT stale and with big defeats under his belt already. I hated that era of NXT. Instead of getting exciting new talent to freshen up Raw and SD, it was just like getting a draft pick from the third brand, who's probably just lost at the TakeOver before. It was stupid. Â I can agree on guys like Joe and Roode. They would've been just fine on the main roster. I do think throwing Nakamura out there at that time wouldn't have been that smart. Not sure the regular audiences would've been that receptive of him. He needed that buzz from NXT I think. Granted the booking was middling at best after that anyway but I think it would've been a bit harsh to just throw him on Raw or SmackDown. They're a bit more savvy now with their signings and hyping them up like Jade Cargill but Nakamura probably would've got a dumb gimmick under Vince. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members TheBurningRed Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 https://www.instagram.com/p/C2Q7FdMJkmq/?igsh=cXR6ajFnd3MycHdt  Been confirmed now by New Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 5 hours ago, TheBurningRed said: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2Q7FdMJkmq/?igsh=cXR6ajFnd3MycHdt  Been confirmed now by New Japan. So...where does he end up? All signs seem to indicate AEW but apparently him and Nakamura are good pals. I reckon this regime would be better with Okada than Vince would (that's damning with faint praise, I know) and beyond a massive pay cheque I can't see the appeal for AEW. After all, why leave New Japan if he wants to work for AEW? He could still work both couldn't he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 (edited) Now it makes sense why neither the Danielson or Ospreay matches this year reached their potential. He’s winding down, preparing to join Nakamura’s Surf Club and coast his way through a fat WWE contract. Cowabunga! Edited January 19 by Supremo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddymagic Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 If he was going to AEW he could have anyway under the NJPW agreement. I think he's WWE bound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members waters44 Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 It's a real interesting one. With the existing relationship between AEW and NJPW it seems that Okada, Ospreay, Mox, Danielson etc can have the best of both worlds, appearing across both companies at various points in the year. So to actually leave NJPW is a big step and makes me think he's WWE bound. I know Ospreay has left NJPW for AEW but he's never been interested in going to Titan Towers has he? It also leaves NJPW with some work to do on the top of the card. Losing Okada is a massive blow for them now. I'm not close to NJPW at the moment (trying hard to catch up!) but I assumed after watching Wrestle Kingdom that Okada would be the big feud with Naito at the top, probably culminating at next years WK. Where do they go now? By most accounts I've read SANADA wasn't a great champion and looking up and down recent cards I don't know what else they've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 2 minutes ago, waters44 said: Titan Towers TKO Towers now grandad. Interesting time for Okada right now. You'd figure he was going to WWE, like Rubber Chicken Supremo says, to hang out with his buddy Shinsuke and collect that sweet sweet TKO dollar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinity Land Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I'm not really bothered where he ends up, its more NJPW losing another main event talent. I went looking for Ospreay's announcement and couldn't find one on NJPW's official website from around the time of Full Gear. I might have gotten the dual contract, still able to work NJPW from other news sources and interviews. We've seen how that's played out. Once his contract is up he's gone. With no real idea when he'll be back. In looking for that Ospreay announcement, I did find Kevin Kelly's. Where NJPW just referred to him leaving for outside opportunities. Jay White may have been caught out by the signing freeze due to the WWE merger. He did do the "I'm leaving NJPW" and hasn't been back. Didn't even work Forbidden Door. I don't think saying he's leaving is a sign of where he will go. Just one that makes clear NJPW are struggling to keep people in the current economy. On the more famous wife aspect that gets brought up. Apparently her fanbase have been predicting this as she's been taking English lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 There's risks to both AEW and WWE isn't there? AEW already has a ton of people and you wonder where Okada fits into that, even if the fit is more logical. And then you wonder what the hell WWE would do with him, even under this regime. I mean I'm curious, and Nakamura's treatment has been better lately but still.. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members waters44 Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 Wrestlemania 41 - Danielson vs Okada III  😵 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Maybe this is the kick up the arse New Japan need. They have relied to heavily on Okada. I think they need to start pushing some of their younger talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 7 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said: There's risks to both AEW and WWE isn't there? AEW already has a ton of people and you wonder where Okada fits into that, even if the fit is more logical. And then you wonder what the hell WWE would do with him, even under this regime. I mean I'm curious, and Nakamura's treatment has been better lately but still..  If I was him, I’d be much more concerned about my position in AEW, because of that crowded roster. Tony Khan isn’t good at making wrestlers feel like they stand out; it’s quite easy to melt into the ensemble there. Plus, there’s the whole question of their TV deal to be resolved. WWE, on the other hand, almost certainly will treat him as a top wrestler right away, and present him as a big star. There’s plenty of room at the top, and to elevate his own personal ‘brand’, joining WWE is surely the best move to make. That said, I can’t imagine anyone would pay him more than Tony Khan would, so maybe none of the above matters. Maybe he’s realised he can milk a billionaire for all he’s worth, and if so, good for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Xtreme_lives Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 There's something very intriguing about an Okada in WWE, I'd be really interested to see Cody/Okada, Reigns/Okada, Logan/Okada, Miz/Okada plus imagine an Okada Wrestlemania entrance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Nick James Posted January 19 Paid Members Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Daddymagic said: If he was going to AEW he could have anyway under the NJPW agreement. I think he's WWE bound. So could Ospreay if we are using that logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 39 minutes ago, westlondonmist said: Maybe this is the kick up the arse New Japan need. They have relied to heavily on Okada. I think they need to start pushing some of their younger talent. I'm not a big follower but Yota Tsuji looks the business and Umino, Uemura and O-Khan seem like they could be something. Am I wrong in that assessment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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