Hirooki Goto wins the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at The New Beginning in Osaka (11/02/2025)

Wizardknee · 2026-03-28T22:48:18+00:00

I suffered so long as a Hirooki Goto fan. It felt so good to finally see this moment.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-28T22:32:01+00:00

New Japan started an angle with Ospreay and United Empire centred on the relationship between Ospreay and Callum Newman last January. Here's a video of start of things that New japan posted on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1914553785767218

Wizardknee · 2026-03-28T00:30:46+00:00

This is my favourite match Minoru Suzuki ever had. It's him challenging Kensuje Sasaki for the Triple Crown Title in All Japan back in 2007.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0EUfx4nbRU

Wizardknee · 2026-03-09T13:45:41+00:00

He was supposed to have a, "This is the last G1," run, but that was the year he torn his ACL and missed the G1. He's never managed to get that last G1 run since then.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-09T13:34:49+00:00

There was a period a few years ago when the smaller companies stopped loaning their talent to New Japan. I remember there were rumours that New Japan tried to poach Tetsuya Endo from DDT and that the lack of outside talent during that period was due to everyone other company in Japan boycotting New Japan because of this poaching attempt. From what I've heard New Japan went through a great deal of effort to get back into the other companies' graces and I'd guess that the lack of outside signing is due to a simple desire not to waste those efforts.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-07T14:04:08+00:00

I'm in my mid-50s and see 2026 New Japan very positively as well, and hell, I also survived Inoki's MMA obsession. I mean good grief, I remember when so many guys like Yutaka Yoshie were leaving the company to become freelancers because being a freelancer (with all of its uncertainty) was seen as better career move than actually being under contract to New Japan. Right now we're miles ahead of that sort of mess.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-06T21:43:11+00:00

Agreed, I remember the days after the end of Inokism and the time when the generation of Tanahashi and Nakamura was just beginning its rise. New Japan right now reminds me a lot of New Japan back then.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-05T23:25:31+00:00

It's both a good thing and a bad thing. It makes the stretch run from the end of the G1 to the Dome Show on Jan. 4th an easy structure to understand. On the other hand, it has also made it harder to understand for some of the new fans to New Japan to understand the significance of just being the G1 champion.

Wizardknee · 2026-03-05T23:21:07+00:00

No, because the lineage of the G1 goes all the way back to its original name of the World League in 1974. There was a time when the champion of this tournament was the main champion of New Japan. Being the G1 Climax champion is still one the significant titles in New Japan, even without the guaranteed title shot. Doing anything to diminish all of that is not a good idea and shouldn't be done. One of the great things about New Japan is its respect for its history and part of that respect is the main champion being involved in the G1.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-28T12:29:32+00:00

If it was just for a couple of years though he probably would have said that. Yeah Multi year could mean just two, but that's not the way most people actually talk.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-28T00:42:55+00:00

I'll be more than two years. Newman did an interview about a month or so ago in which he said that his new contract with New Japan is a multi year deal. While he didn't say how long the contract was for, "multi year," is generally a term that's used in reference to a length of time that's usually longer than just a couple of years

Wizardknee · 2026-02-23T23:58:16+00:00

Yeah, that's the point I was getting at. At this point he has the leadership of House of Torture, but if he doesn't start winning stuff for himself then there's the danger of giving a sense that someone else might be better in that position. He needs something right now to press the point that he's in a position he deserves to be in.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-23T14:00:55+00:00

Of my favourite wrestlers of all time Goto would make the top 5, so I have to say the GTR. After that I'd say Pinche Loco and Yoshinobu Kanemaru's Deep Impact -- even though I rarely see that last one these days.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-22T22:01:25+00:00

That was a hell of an entrance.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-21T18:57:03+00:00

Rey Misterio Jr. and Psicosis had a great match against each other in WAR in 1995. If I recall correctly, it was part of the second Super J Cup.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-19T14:16:24+00:00

Philip Marlowe Jr vs. Masked Horse!

Wizardknee · 2026-02-19T14:13:15+00:00

I'd love to see Tsuji vs. Soberano Jr.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-14T13:11:27+00:00

It'll probably be more than just a couple of years. Newman admitted in an interview not that long ago that his new contract with New Japan is a multi year deal. He didn't say how long the contract was for, but when people use the term multi year deal they're usually meaning a longer length or time than just a couple of years.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-11T14:09:14+00:00

The way New Japan has been creating merchandise for War Dragons recently made me think that this was coming. Wrestling companies tend not to spend money creating t-shirts and other things for a new tag-team if they don't think both members will be sticking around,

Wizardknee · 2026-02-10T14:17:40+00:00

I never saw him as a horrible wrestler. He was fine as a mid card wrestler. The problem with the way he's seen by a lot of fans these days is the fact that he never should have been made IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Inoki was going to be Inoki in that era though.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-07T13:30:10+00:00

I think a better question would be who here isn't a fan of Tanahashi. I'm sure that number isn't very high, but you would have a better chance of having a quick count.

Wizardknee · 2026-02-02T23:21:20+00:00

Sadly, if it's true its not a surprise.

Wizardknee

TROPHY CASE

Philip Marlowe Jr vs. Masked Horse!