Hobbs vs the field of Hangman/Switchblade/Darby all instantly fresh matchups. Build to Hobbs vs Ospreay/Swerve/Shelton/Lashley!

Riders can keep their tangle with FTCope away from the top title picture, can have brawls over trios belts.

I can’t think of another ready made situation like this in recent times where simply inserting ONE surprise person completely freshen up the bulk of your programs.

Time to re-educate the masses!

Kidd could easily be a breath of fresh air as a top heel in NJPW, but he is also a “heel” that refuses to show ass - look foolish or outsmarted - so they inevitably have to turn him face. So many great heels have been missed because their personal “tough guy” ego won’t allow.

I will say that as a whole, New Japan interests me more than at other points the past few years, but NOAH has really captured my attention since the N-1. I love that it’s becoming a modern mix of what I liked in the early 2000s - the Zero-ONE & various gaijin stables in Japan. #WK19

The Rambo is always a great time, and I love that it actually mattered this year. Goto has had a great year and I love him still being in the title mix. And I assume they have plans for Alex Zayne, which is exciting. #WK19

DOUKI and Desperado were really cooking, but real life hit everyone fast here. Bummed for them.

The other singles bouts didn’t light a fire under my interest going in this year. Hiromu vs Naito came two years too late, IMO. Naito is devolving into the old men division rapidly. #WK19

Really happy for EL Phantasmo. He’s been one of my favorites in New Japan and thrilled for him to get rewarded for his hard work and the personal challenges he’s dealt with this year. #WK19

I really enjoy ZSJ, absolutely been one of my favorites over past year, but I just have no interest in Shota Umino as a high-level match guy. So, I didn’t dig this compared to past Dome shows main events, thought still much more interesting to Sanada vs. Naito last year. #WK19

I appreciate how hard all eight wrestlers worked in the ladder match and I loved the ideas that had for certain moves, but unfortunately the execution odds didn’t go their way in many moments. #WK19

I really dug Takeshita and Takagi’s approach, going 12 minutes completely balls to the wall. A situation I thought NJPW’s over-penchant for “fighting spirit” actually was perfectly suited. A fantastic example of quality over quantity. #WK19

And I HIGHLY encourage you all to read this outstanding piece by about the original wrestling Siki - Reginald Siki. A vital figure in 20s-40s wrestling history that is criminally unknown. One of the first international-touring black stars of the wrestling world.

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