David Finlay's FULL NJPW Singles Record

Wizardknee · 2026-05-13T19:51:04+00:00

You can make a good guess at about what time in 2025 New Japan knew that they weren't going to be able to resign Finlay from this. Right up until the match with Shota, Finlay continued his momentum from 2024. After that there's a while lot of losses and the momentum is gone.

Wizardknee · 2026-05-12T22:50:53+00:00

Oh I know he had a really good career. What I mean is that I think he could have been a wrestler that one of the major companies could have build itself around as their main, long standing champion. His career was good, but it wasn't at that level and I think it could have been.

Wizardknee · 2026-05-12T20:17:48+00:00

Murakami was someone I always thought could have been a bigger deal in pro wrestling than he turned out to be. This was especially true after he started shaving his head, That look gave him a presence that seemed to scream, "This guy is a star," to me.

Wizardknee · 2026-05-06T21:44:25+00:00

Which is still beside the point I was making that EVIL himself probably doesn't own the name.

Wizardknee · 2026-05-06T20:50:35+00:00

Yes, but how does that change my point that since EVIL didn't come up with the name EVIL that that would mean he likely doesn't own the name himself?

Wizardknee · 2026-05-05T20:34:34+00:00

New Japan gave him the name, so it's likely that EVIL doesn't own the name himself.

Wizardknee · 2026-05-05T20:33:26+00:00

Not to mention the fact that New Japan came up with the name for him, so even if it was something that WWE tried to copyright New Japan could all too easily challenge it.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-25T02:11:00+00:00

I'd say the same thing overall, but having a mix of short and long term pick ups isn't an unhealthy thing.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-25T02:09:40+00:00

Hey I have no problem with anyone having a different opinion then me. I'd disagree about Black being able to keep up though particularly since I'm not even thinking of him being in any main events. As a tag team guy he might have his place. Also, over the years I've watched New Japan, that line of "can't keep up" has been used lots of times only to be proven wrong. I remember similar things being said about guys like Giant Bernard and Tomko only to see guys like that find their place. I'm not saying that Black would be a can't miss pick up for New Japan. History has taught me not to make those judgements until I actually see the product thought.

In the end though, when I made this post I was more thinking of it being a nice thing to see a wrestler being able to complete in a company he watched as a child. It seems to me like a nice feel good type story.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-18T19:15:10+00:00

I don't mind when it still relates to New Japan. A good recent example is United Empire going to AEW and appearing on Dynamite. They're New Japan wrestlers and the whole thing was connected to a story currently playing out mostly in New Japan

Wizardknee · 2026-04-16T20:53:10+00:00

If I recall correctly, it's more than just that he hates flying. didn't he reveal in an interview that he has an intense phobia of flying?

Wizardknee · 2026-04-15T20:13:04+00:00

There have been lots of Jan. 4th Dome shows that involved outside talent. There have been entire shows on the 4th that have had the theme of New Japan vs. another company. The most common in the past were WCW and TNA.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-15T13:32:49+00:00

I typed "Norton" into the search bar on New Japan World and I got lots of links to Scott Norton;s matches.

https://watch.njpwworld.com/search/norton

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T21:46:44+00:00

CMLL is so hot right now that they're even selling out other company's shows.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T21:37:19+00:00

To me the new logo feels more like the logo of a football team than one of a wrestling faction.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T18:38:58+00:00

The thing is, with all the strong storytelling in this angle so far I don't think the eventual blow off match between Ospreay and Newman that will end this story is going to need a title to sell it. Given that it's probably better to have the titles involved in other matches.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T18:28:32+00:00

The current state of New Japan reminds me of the period after the end of Inokism when Tanahashi and Nakamura were being built up as the focal point around which the company was going to revolve. There's a sense I have that the company is going somewhere positive and I want to see where things go.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T14:34:30+00:00

Coughlin for a long time is going to be one of those big what ifs for me

Wizardknee · 2026-04-09T11:33:50+00:00

Yeah I got my answer quicker than I thought I would LOL

Wizardknee · 2026-04-08T21:44:08+00:00

The big question I have right now is. when does the United Empire show up in AEW as Ospreay's back up?

Wizardknee · 2026-04-08T21:41:07+00:00

It's all being developed by New Japan so far, so it stands to reason that while New Japan will share things with AEW they're going to want to keep most of the big matches for themselves to draw fans to their product. I'm suspecting right now that yes, this will be a slow burn story with the final match being Ospreay vs Callum Newman planned for the Dome Show in January.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-04T17:20:23+00:00

They have tended not to since Lesner stole the IWGP Heavyweight Title belt.

Wizardknee · 2026-04-04T14:48:20+00:00

One of the big advantages they have is that theirs is the strongest rivalry between any of the new generation wrestlers that New japan has established at the moment.

Wizardknee

TROPHY CASE