The Reality of Wrestling: New Japan Vs. TNA Pt. 1

The Reality of Wrestling: New Japan Vs. TNA Pt. 1
By Phil Clark

Another example of TNA being WCW or is it?

The first part of the newly formed “feud” between New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA came and went this past Sunday at Tokyo’s Sumo Hall with two matches (supposed to be three) in which TNA representatives took wins in both. Rhino pinned Toru Yano and the team of Christopher Daniels and Senshi defeated Minoru Tanaka and Prince Devitt in a tag match. The show itself got rave reviews right out of the gate, a good sign with TNA being able to take at least some of the credit for what was a quality night of wrestling.

P.C. Says: It’s a good idea that shouldn’t be wasted

Sadly, this feud won’t reach its full potential because it will be a strictly Japan-based feud. Pre-Russo TNA and you’d see just about everyone involved in today’s matches (on New Japan’s side) in TNA at least once, and you’d definitely see Tanahashi coming back considering his rave review back in early 2006. However, this is a new day in TNA, a day where the main goal in the case of this feud is who do we send instead of how do we benefit from it. Unless TNA is going to broadcast the matches they’re in from New Japan shows (they won’t), what else is there on their side other than a press release or two on their web site?

However, the feud has already paid some dividends off as the Sumo Hall show from Sunday has already been called New Japan’s best or near best in a long time. TNA can’t take full credit for that, but an on-a-roll Yano and a possibly motivated Rhino brawling for ten minutes and Senshi and Daniels allowed to cut loose for nearly twenty had to equal two great matches.

The reason why WCW’s alliance with New Japan benefited both sides was that WCW actually brought in New Japan guys on a semi-regular basis to gain T.V. exposure in the U.S. Sure they were just a novelty act for Nitro, but it did help Nitro become distinct from RAW and it offered New Japan the chance to have a relationship with a major U.S. promotion, something a Japanese fed hadn’t done at the time since SWS and The E. In the case of TNA, they’ve brought in foreign talent, but have rarely used them as effectively as WCW did in the 90’s. In the case of New Japan, they gave TNA the sweep Sunday to set up for the final showdown in the Tokyo Dome January 4 where I’m sure TNA guys will be jobbing at least once.

What New Japan looked for in this feud is the same thing TNA should be, but really isn’t: something different. They knew they have the January 4 coming up and needed something extra the same way they sought All Japan’s assistance last year. In this case, it does benefit them as you will have American stars—most of whom have wrestled in Japan and New Japan before—coming in for some good ‘ol interpromotional warfare. The problem here is that TNA benefits only from what reaction the Japanese fans and media give them. They could begin to distance themselves from The E by acknowledging Japanese feds more by showing footage of their talent in Japan the same way WCW did in the 90’s because it would add some novelty to iMPACT! seeing guys like Daniels and Rhino and Joe and A.J. and others in places that mainly insiders talk about.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like that kind of stuff is going to happen, so I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it while collecting the tapes at the same time.

Now, my January 4 Tokyo Dome (New Japan vs. TNA) predictions
(note: my predictions are in bold.

ALREADY CONFIRMED: Tomko & Giant Bernard (A-Train) Vs. The Steiner Brothers (IWGP Tag Title Match)
You could’ve put just about any team in this one other than Rick & Scott and it would turn out better than this one likely will; but that’s not the point. Rick & Scott—and I doubt I’m going to get resistance here—are old and over the hill; but that’s not the point. The point of this match is to give Tomko & Bernard the rub from a legend team and make their title reign complete before their eventual title loss to a Japanese team (Nakamura & Goto or Makabe & Yano are the best possibilities at the moment). The other factor here is drawing; the Steiners are the few gaijin who have gained such a legend status that they are going to be beloved whenever they show up (the parallel in the U.S. being Ric Flair) as was evident by their brief return to New Japan in 2002. New Japan wants Tomko & Bernard to help sell tickets and putting them in there with The Steiners is the best way for that to happen.

GBH Vs. XXX: Jado, Gedo, & Toru Yano/Togi Makabe Vs. Christopher Daniels, Senshi, & Elix Skipper
It’s the Tokyo Dome, and this would be a great way to get rid of one of the undercard tag matches without it being meaningless like most are. This would be gang warfare (there’s New Japan’s title right there) with two heel (or meant to be heel) groups doing all kinds of crazy shit to each other. Look at the lineup here and you really can’t lose. Makabe’s presence is predicated on how my next prediction/suggestion would pan out.

Samoa Joe Vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan/Togi Makabe
This would be interesting either way, but it is a bit of a tough call. If you go with Tenzan, then Makabe is put into the six-man and Yano is left out in the cold (sorry), if you go with Makabe then Tenzan is out in the cold (sorry again). Either way, the match would be a watchable brawl with Joe having more license to use a stiffer moveset than he has been as of late in TNA. If he gets Tenzan, then the match would probably work the same way his match with Steiner last June did, but if he gets Makabe, I sense a bloody, faster paced brawl than it would be against Tenzan.

A.J. Styles Vs. Jushin Liger
I think this one has to happen at all costs. A.J. Styles is easily the most identifiable light heavyweight ever in TNA and probably the most identifiable TNA wrestler that isn’t an E reject. Liger is easily the most identifiable and well-know light heavyweight EVER in Japan. It writes itself.

Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Kurt Angle (IWGP Unification Match)
This is a bit of a sticky situation and could go two completely different ways. The way I’m predicting/would like to see it go is Tanahashi and Angle unify the belt in The Dome with Tanahashi getting elevated with the win; Angle becoming the unified IWGP champion would be disastrous for New Japan, not to mention stupid. The other way it could go is with New Japan having two IWGP title matches (one for each belt) on January 4 with a New Japan star (most likely Nakamura) beating Angle for his version of the belt and having a unification match at a later date. In this scenario, they would more than likely guarantee a one-match sell out for a Sumo Hall show in ’08, but something doesn’t feel right. The belt was taken from New Japan by a gaijin (Lesnar), why shouldn’t a gaijin lose it back? Second, unification of a title in Japan is such a rarity that it deserves the biggest possible setting and the Tokyo Dome on January 4 is it; it’s the Wrestlemania of Japanese pro wrestling, why not have the biggest title match since TenKoji’s four crown title match there? And finally, it would be closure to the feud if a New Japan guy were to get the final victory in the feud in the main-event of the promotion’s biggest show of the year.

Some other January 4 predictions

Yuji Nagata Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
This may be confirmed soon, but if it happens, it HAS to be treated as a main-event match, because it will be to a lot of people. Plus, I think this match would be perfect because the build has pretty much already been written: Nagata and Nakamura had what many called the match of the tournament this past August in the G-1 semis, but Nakamura legit injured himself and an impromptu finish had to be used. Nakamura is back with his first match back being a tag against Nagata. Nagata is the old while Nakamura is the new, a theme New Japan has stressed this year (old v. new), and again, IT’S THE BIGGEST SHOW OF THE YEAR FOR NEW JAPAN. Why not have this one? Of course if it does happen, then Nakamura needs to bring his A-game and we need EVIL Nagata to resurface (he usually does in The Dome). Everything needs to go right because a classic in The Dome will be a career defining match (and win) for Nakamura and put him firmly in the upper echelon instead of teetering on the brink of being there like he has for the last couple of years.

Hirooki Goto Vs. Masahiro Chono
If the title match against Tanahashi was as good as initial reviews are making it seem, then New Japan would be foolish not to follow up the success of that match by elevating Goto even more with a win over a legend. At this point, Chono serves no greater purpose than to give the rub to the younger generation. He never did it properly with Tenzan or Nagata, but would have a chance to give Goto another win over a big name heavyweight and the win here would set up a possible Goto/Nagata match, one that could main-event a Sumo Hall show next year or be a co-main-event.

The Reality is New Japan has already benefited from TNA’s participation. Yes, it was only two matches, but both seemed to have gone off without a hitch. Now with January 4 approaching, you have to wonder (as I have) who TNA is going to send, what matches are going to be made, and the results. Russo, Jarrett, Chono, and Choshu in the same room, how’s that for an interesting debate on booking?! I am faithful in both promotions as New Japan got the stick (The Inoki’s) out of their ass and had a fantastic 2007 because of it, and the year isn’t over yet either. TNA has shown with their Genesis PPV Sunday that they are willing (or might be willing) to start pushing younger talent with The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) and Kaz (Frankie Kazarian) getting high profile wins over established veterans Team 3-D and Christian Cage respectively. This makes me think that maybe sanity is starting to come back to the booking element of pro wrestling. New Japan has shown their willingness to try and do things right for their next generation while giving the old generation due respect—Nagata’s title reign is proof of that. I for one am looking forward to January 4 and, like most people, hope that my predictions are right. Because if they are, what a card it’ll be.