WWE does gauntlets like the Royal Rumble match or Beat-the-Clock scenarios superbly, but notwithstanding some quality NXT events, they’ve typically failed to stir interest with tournament formats. Johnny Hardwick, Voice of Conspiracy Nut Dale Gribble on 'King of the Hill,' Dead at 64 Given WWE’s emboldened efforts in India and elsewhere, it might be prudent to succeed their defunct European Championship with one representing all of Asia. And as of this weekend, a first-ever NJPW U.S. should really take heed of) accolades within the NEVER Openweight division, which pulls from all classes of size and experience. But they also widen the field of possible roster honors by instituting Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles (property, as of this writing, of Ring of Honor/NJPW double-duty siblings the Young Bucks), as well as Champion and six-Man Champion (an idea Triple H and co. Their Title Categories Are Similar To Ours, MostlyĪlong with the prized IWGP Heavyweight belt, NJPW carries an Intercontinental title (presently held by Hiroshi Tanahashi, arguably their marquee man much of this century), a Junior Heavyweight strap and tag-team gold. Styles turned a corner with his storied run as leader of the Bullet Club and multiple-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, New Japan’s equivalent of WWE’s Universal Championship, before finally getting lured by Vince McMahon in late-2016. To name a few: Big Van Vader cultivated his masked-warrior gimmick while running roughshod in NJPW during the mid-1980s Stan Hansen famously conquered competition there for that entire decade Brock Lesnar shored up his wrestling bona fides with a dominant mid-2000s stint and of course A.J. But historians and purists will be quick to remind that just as many American-origin icons paid their dues duking it out with NJPW’s best – and in some cases, took a hiatus from WWE/WCW et al to rejuvenate their careers overseas – before finding their footing back home. And for decades, big names from Jushin Liger to the aforementioned Shinsuke Nakamura have established themselves with New Japan before making a big splash in the U.S. New Japan has a rich tradition of cross-promoting talent and titles with the likes of NWA and current reciprocator Ring of Honor. Japanese AND American Megastars Made Their Names In NJPW So in anticipation of G1 and a presumed continuing cross-continental presence, here’s 10 things you need to know about New Japan Pro Wrestling. They even christened a brand-new United States Championship title to coincide with the affair, and its first owner will be determined via tournament during G1 Special.įor those of you who are first wrapping your heads around NJPW’s legacy and what all the buzz is about, or even if you’ve been tuning in to AXS’s weekly airings for the past two years – featuring color and play-by-play by no less than Jim Ross and his colleague Josh Barnett – a brief primer on NJPW’s history and modern influence may be helpful. (a second part will air pre-taped July 7th). And the 45-year-old promotion will finally descend on our shores for AXS TV’s live-broadcast G1 Special in the USA event, airing from the Long Beach Convention Center in California July 1st at 8 p.m. Styles, Gallows and Anderson and Shinsuke Nakamura made a direct beeline from New Japan Pro Wrestling to WWE in recent months, the writing was on the wall that NJPW was due for a total American invasion.
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