Norman Dennis is a serial fanaticist, the black guy's with fans of everything. Welcome. Today, I'm joined by Eric Zee Goodnight to talk about the recent New Japan Pro Wrestling event, Wrestle Kingdom 13. We run down all the matches, all the stories, and talk about the future of the company.
We then touch on the All Elite Wrestling Press Conference, which Eric attended in Jacksonville. I love talking about some wrestling, and it was a great time. On to the discussion. I'm here with the Hanson Boy himself, Mr.
Eric Zee Goodnight. That is what they call me. Who's they? Well, the people that they say they handsome boy.
Those people. That's your, you know, like the bad boy, Tomatanga, you're the handsome boy. Eric Zee Goodnight. That's your wrestling nickname.
Or is it the visit? Well, it's a good guy, Tomatanga, and bad boy Joey Janello. Uh, well, Janello doesn't work Japan really, so I think it's okay. He can have the bad boy.
There's room for a lot of bad boys, ladies love him. And he is the good guy, Tomatanga. We're talking about the fallout from Wrestle Kingdom 13. We're gonna talk about the show.
We're gonna talk about all the matches, break them down, what we thought. And we're gonna talk about some AEW announcements. Um, Eric, is my special correspondent? What's that?
I just sat at the press conference yesterday. So let's talk about all that after we get through the matches of Wrestle Kingdom. I stayed up in my Wrestle Kingdom like a maniac. I slept through two hours of it and really felt bad about that.
I had to watch the Will Osprey Kota match after the fact. It was a, that was, I mean, I, your mistake was falling asleep. You should never, you just don't see. I would have been fine if I'd just got up two hours earlier, but my, I thought that, like the other programs, the, the pay-per-views start at one in two in the morning.
It's really strange. But a lot of the, a lot of the regular programming will start at four a.m. It's peculiar. Like all the G, the G1, all the matches started at, so.
Well, G1 shows are like three hours long. Yeah. No, that's like five. Five or six if you count the, the opening, the gauntlet match, which is the pre-show, technically, which is crazy.
This is, we can start with the gauntlet match, which is not really very meaningful, but I would, I'll mention it, which I think I'll mention it specifically because it's kind of crazy the people who are on the pre-show, like Suzuki is on the pre-show, nor Suzuki is on the pre-show. The gang man page, Marty, Goto, Maccabe, like those guys are generally like main event guys. And yet none of them are in the, on the main show, and Suzuki even took that as an opportunity during his post-match promo to, like, why am I not on the main card? This is an insult.
It was a fine match. It's not, it was, it's a gauntlet match, you know, it's a bunch, it's a way to get guys on the card, give them, you know, a pay day, reward them. Hey, you, you've been important. We'll put you on the show.
You can, you can have a match in front of, you know, 45,000 people. I don't think I have anything else to say about this match because nothing is, it's not important, but it was there. But the singles match, that opens the show, opens the show, opens the show, we'll Osprey versus Kota Ibushi. Fantastic match.
I was going to say Kota's matches do have a tendency to get ugly, but did not like kind of how ugly this was. I, well, Osprey looked like remorseful, like you, you had to look kind of subtly, but he was staring down on the ground at Kota, just like a little too long. It didn't, it didn't, yeah, poor Kota. I mean, it's brain scrambled.
I, well, I, I'm honestly surprised this match wasn't, I, you know, people are joking, like it's the war between the two necks, like who's going to neck is going to give out first because that is the Osprey Ibushi formula, like, oh, big matches, we are following our heads and hurt ourselves. Yeah. But this was, honestly, there was less of that and more of just hard striking, which I think is it, and Osprey had an interesting, and like, that's the thing about, that's the story. We'll Osprey for the past year, more than a year, honestly, but it's really coming to focus the past year, as he said, some very close calls and actual injuries from his style, which is insane.
He does things that most people can't, and then somebody pushes himself even further, and then that's when he hurts himself. And people are like, and I, Meltzer, they Meltzer in particular, he's like, we're going to look back at Will Osprey and if he doesn't change, and he's going to be the dynamite kid, he's going to be the guy who everyone, he's going to be Crispin Wall, everyone's like, he needed to dial it down, and he never did. And he's going to pay for it later in his life. And this match, I think, is a template for Osprey.
I think, I don't know with how much Osprey took that to heart, or he just went, you know, it's, you know, especially, he's, but he put on weight for this match, and I, this, for him, contending for this title, it's the open weight title, which has always been, so honest, with, you know, guys like Goto and Ishii, who are just like, you know, big bruise and guys who hit each other. But initially, this title was really meant for, it was meant to be an open weight title, it was meant to be like, hey, this is the title, Cruiserweight, it's the juniors, can contend for. Like, anyone can challenge for this title, and then after time, it wasn't that anymore. But, Osprey couldn't wait, and he, can he do all the acrobatic, you know, aerial stuff that he's done over the, over the years, with an extra 20 pounds on him, an extra 30 pounds on him.
Like, as he gets bigger, you know, as he's six foot one, there's, you know, there's no reason for him. He doesn't need to be a junior, he can be heavyweight whenever he wants all he has to do is put on some weight. He's a couple of sandwiches. Yeah.
Turn it, do the, do the, do the Kenny Omega treatment, where he becomes as wide as he is tall. But he tweeted out after that you guys asked me to change my style, and this is what happens. You know, it's kind of like, I'm, I'm, I'm, I will, I'm going to be striking more and maybe more. It's going to be more brutal because that's what it takes.
You know, I can't jump on people from top ropes as much, but I will instead elbow them in the back of their head without them seeing off of his head is the original thing with that move, by the way, and now it is called the hidden blade, because Will Osprey loves Assassin's Creed. That is, that's really obvious from his, uh, his outfit, he's fucking dressed like the hood from Assassin's Creed. God, wrestlers are such to works. Well, yeah, I mean, now they are wrestlers are like buff nerds.
It's amazing. Yeah. Um, but this match, I, it was very brutal, but I was expecting that. And that's, I think this match was intended as a, it is a coming out party for Will Osprey as a heavyweight, as a heavyweight, which I expected, I've been expecting, I think most people have been expecting for at least a year.
And this is finally, hey, have Coda, I mean, that's what Coda is in New Japan because he's a freelancer and pretty sure still he's never going to sign a contract because he doesn't want to. He wants his freedom to do whatever he wants. And Coda is often used as a, as a gatekeeper as like, the guy that is basically bulletproof because no matter how much he loses, people still love him and you have him put him up against Osprey and have Osprey show what he can do as a heavyweight basically because Coda is the same thing. He was also a junior and then he just put on some weight and he became Coda, but I, this match was great.
It's a fantastic opener. Really is rough. Yeah. I, I can't stand watching guys get hurt.
It's, uh, I don't know. It's not the deal. I mean, it's the particularly, it's Coda, don't hurt Coda. I don't know.
I, I don't know. There's a certain point where, you know, I don't, I don't know what's happening in the moment. The only in hindsight, you really know, oh, yeah, he's got a concussion, but I've watched it three or four times trying to begin. It seems pretty obvious the point where it is that he gets hurt, but God, when he smashes his face on that ring post, uh, yeah, that was ugly, just like, I don't know, like you don't see it and they cut a couple of times and all of a sudden you have to range Coda with his hair going everywhere covered in blood.
That's, I hate that that's as good optics as it is. I mean, it's just, it's just magnificent. It is. It is.
It's also a stressful kingdom. You know, there's, you know, there's no, there's no one there, they don't want to stop matches for anything. There's nothing. There's nothing they can do.
Um, well, it's not, I don't know. It's not like it's not like a, a hero most injury or something, Coda will be fine ultimately as long as he takes it slow. It's at least that's what I've heard. Have you heard any other updates?
I mean, no. Yeah, concussion. He's, he's, I is slightly hurt. I think it's fine.
It's not serious. But yeah, he'll just take some time off and he'll be okay. Yeah. That's fantastic opener.
I couldn't. I feel it on my expectations. It's insane that it's an opener. Yeah.
I mean, it's, it's, it's a, they're not, they were not fucking around. No. Uh, the next match was the, uh, three way tag match for the junior heavyweight tag titles. Um, felt a little strange because basically that they just had the junior tag tournament that all these match, this match basically happened.
But it was fine. It was pretty short. I think it was mostly as a way to, as a way to show the world, shingo, uh, to go to Coggy because that's like, this was his match. Like everyone else got, like got a couple spots in, but he dominated his match and I think it was really, this was them showing like, Hey, this guy is going to be important probably.
I imagine he's going to enter into the junior championship picture at some point in, uh, 2019 and really did feel like all of, all of the past couple of months of the, the tag leagues and all that was, I don't know, getting, getting shingo up to speed. So it would make sense that they would want to highlight him so much in this. Yeah. And I think they want that, that new member of L.I.J.
Right. I mean, I mean, shingo is barely, I mean, he's a junior name only. He could easily, he's as big as night up. He's not as, he's a giant dude.
No. Yeah. So he could easily just, they could put him up to heavyweight at any time as soon as, you know, the junior tag titles have stuck with the Suzuki gun for a while now and, but generally they just jump around and they're used as like, they, they, they hapitated those things all the time. So anytime they could take those off L.I.J.
and just have, you know, shingo, I don't know, I think it, I think it heavily depends on when he was coming back. You know, is he, you know, there's six months away? Yeah. You don't know.
That's the, you know, that's really what everyone's saying though. It's hard to, there were, there were some, there was some information released that one person says that he's 93% and then you also hear that, yeah, it's way worse than they are like, I don't know. The reports came out around the same time. Well, I mean, I think that's the, the, the hero move has been, hero moves here and on Twitter, he's, you know, he's insane.
Yeah. And they, a doctor, I believe a lot of the jokes are like a doctor said, he is not going to compete again until he's a thousand percent. Yeah. And so when he says he's 94%, that means he's still got nine hundred, nine hundred and six percent to go.
I think that sounds, that sounds about right. There is probably a lot of in the culture of this, like, you're playing through the pain without a doubt. Right. But it's not something you can just like power your way through.
No, I would like, I would like that silly little goober to be flipping around and power bottom the shit out of people for many years to come. So that's, I think he'll be back when he's back. It will probably end up being almost a year at least to the day that that match he was injured. Yeah.
It has been five or six months at this point. It's been six months. Yeah. Um, but the three, it was, it was, uh, LIJ one, which is going to be a theme, um, LIJ one, all their matches.
Um, and I think that's this year is going to be a big night of year. This is going to be a big night of year. The year of LIJ. Cause a lot of people are complaining this past year has been a kind of a low night of loss at wrestling kingdom last year.
And I know has been kind of in so, so, so feuds and then loses the intercontinental championship to Jericho dominion and, and then kind of has been, his popularity has never gone away. He is like, and that's what a lot of people say, like, it doesn't matter what you do with him. His popularity carries everything. You can put him in a few with a soda machine.
It doesn't matter. Cause he's so popular, so charismatic. It doesn't, who cares? You could do anything with him.
But I think in, he's going to, I, as many people predicted, I think he's going to have a very big 2019, um, the next match was, uh, Zach Saver Jr. Uh, versus Tomahiri. It's an odd, odd pairing. I love it.
It was, it was something. It's a good match. I enjoyed it. I wish it could have gone a little bit longer, but considering how many matches are on the card and none of them went terribly long, even the championship match wasn't super long.
Um, I mean, it wasn't an hour, which they, they've done in the past. So it was a very, it was a tight match. Uh, the, the first time the Rev Pro British heavyweight championship has been on a wrestling card. I think they're going to, I think New Japan is going to be accentuating the Rev Pro titles a little bit more.
Use them, uh, for matches like this because they obviously value Zach, Zach Saver Jr. He's one, he won the New Japan cup. He defeated everyone last year at a certain point. So he had, he won singles matches with basically everyone.
And because of his style, it kind of actually protects, protects even people in their losses because he does, he's not a powerhouse. He's a submission guy. So you can always say, well, no one's as good as a submission system, which is true. Cause he puts, he bends people into pretzels, even bowling balls, like to wear your A.C.
I, I was really surprised that they would, uh, they book A.C.E. to tap. I mean, Zach Saver Jr. says he's, he's really putting him over.
Yeah. I mean, I think that's, that's, that's, that's to me, that's a big deal. Yeah. Who like his whole persona is that he just, you hit him with a truck and he gets up.
I mean, I think, well, if she is 43, he will not be wrestling at this level for much longer. I don't think his body, I don't think his body can handle it much longer. I mean, in a few years, I think he'll be segueing and out of the main event plays, you know, who knows what he'll do, he'll do, um, but I don't think he's going to be on this level for much longer. And I don't think they're, they've not been timid about Saver being people.
So, uh, I think, is she, she's also like, he's like, he's a gatekeeper to the main event. You know, he's one of those guys where you're like, you beat him and then suddenly you're in the main event picture. And I think that's what they've been using him for six years now, um, he, him and go tell him like these, you know, the, the upper mid car guys who are like very tough can sometimes beat main event guys once in a great while, but you know, they're ultimately they, you know, you put over Zack, David Jr, make him a threat. Um, there's a good match, um, Zack, David Jr, finisher submission names are incredibly pretentious.
Well, I mean, it, it's all part of his part of his charm. It is. It is part of his charm. How can we make this guy more of just a weird asshole?
He's his post, post hardcore song titles, uh, as names for his submission finishers. That's, that's how you do it. Um, I'd like to, I'd like to re-up on my, uh, my professional wrestlers are all dorks. He, I believe in his, one of his promos, he said that he would pre-match promos.
He was going to win the British WV championship and then fix Brexit. I believe he said he would fix Brexit, um, three way tag team match for the tag team championship, which is L.I.J. Brill is a destiny with a new theme and the box, the arm box wrestling, which is, they're probably, I don't know, in the near, I don't know if they're going to be, I assume that money fixes all problems and they eventually will be wrestling in New Japan again, but probably for the, for the inner indeterminate future, this will be their last New Japan match. Um, it was a good match.
It was, it was again a shorter, you know, it was a sprint 10 minute, three way kind of cluster fucking kind of match with everyone just doing their big spots and doing stuff that the, you know, L.I.J. boys win, even sonata, um, more terrific, uh, love them both that, uh, sonata's that chin beard's not doing. No, he needs to, he needs to take care of that. I don't know what I'm like, he, everyone, I don't, no one, no one is on team beard.
Everyone is on team sonata. You're a very handsome man. He is, he actually is like a pictures of him with his hair, like calm down. Mm hmm.
He, he is a, he is a good looking man, but that chin beard is just, it looks, it looks like a dog's ass. It looks terrible. Not good. And, uh, he definitely should cut it off and just be the plain old regular sonata again.
I think I think we're ready to go back to plain, plain faced sonata. Um, real is the G.O.D. Gorill is a destiny have a new theme song, which I think is awesome. I like their old theme music, but I think it was time for change, especially with good guy.
Tom is on good now. Um, uh, they, they were, they, they, they had Falle and J.O. out. J.O.
was painted up like a skeleton man. I don't know why. Consider all he did was carry a candlestick around, but whatever, steeped really, you just have to go all out. It's Russell kingdom.
I guess that's fair. You're like, yeah, I'll be on screen for eight minutes, but I'm gonna be looking like a skeleton man. Yeah, obviously. Obviously.
Um, the box where the box, they did their stuff. Uh, they brought a little bit of attention to the match, which is why they're there and probably there's a way to, as a send off for them and something they've been wrestling. This is their sixth Russell kingdom. Um, uh, Sonata was the one that impressed me on this match, which is not surprising.
Uh, he's a, he's a freaking talented dude. He's, he's incredibly, incredibly talented. I, there's been rumors that he's going to WWE. Um, I don't know.
That would be a big deal. I mean, yeah, he's, it's, it's what he wants. It's what he's wanted to do. Like he didn't, like he left, I think it was Russell one, different Japanese, smaller Japanese promotion.
I think that's that's moodos. I think that's moodos promotion. Um, uh, he wanted to go to WWE then and then instead he went to New Japan. He came to Sonata.
Became part of L.I. J. And now he's even, I don't know. Now he wants to go to WWE, which I, he's one of the dudes that I think he could succeed.
I just don't know about his ability to deliver promos, which I'm very important. You know, he's doesn't even, he barely talks in new Japan, uh, and it's in his language and he barely talks. So is, if they make him like a stoic kind of the stoic guy that he is in new Japan, he'd probably find a WWE because he looks great and he's a great worker, but, uh, I will say, I think he could, I don't know if, I don't, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, we'll see. That's a lot of the sees.
I really wonder about the, uh, the average WWE fan. I wonder about any kind of Japanese person getting over and, and just sort of the way that they write characters. It's, I don't know, it frustrates me. I mean, I keep thinking about like what would happen if like, Tanahashi went over there and just how bad it would be.
I don't think he would, it would just, it would just be such bad treatment. I don't know. I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't, there's, I'm glad that there are now more options for people to move around for. Because, uh, yeah, I can't, I don't, I can't watch WWE because there is no writing.
That's, that's, that's, they say the way they write characters. There's no writing. They don't, because you can't, I can't name characteristics of characters. They don't have characters in, in WWE.
They have brands. They have, you know, lunatic. They're in Shteen Ambrose. They have the, like, they don't have, like name it care, the character trait of like, of AJ Styles.
Long hair. There you go. He's a good wrestler. Um, which is like all of that's all their character traits.
Um, this match was good. It was not very long. It was, it showcased all these guys were fair enough, well enough and showed what they did well. And I think it was a decent enough for the Bucks before they go and become wrestling magnates.
But L.I. J wins again. Again, I think this is going to be a big year for L.I.J. Um, then we get the, I think, the worst match in the night, which is Juice versus Cody, uh, another short match.
And I think they tried to do way too much in nine minutes. Mm. I think that was some mistake. If, if they just made it a little bit simpler without all the, there's a lot of like, I don't know.
Cody, NWA style heel, old, old 80s, NWA, 70s, NWA heel antics. Sometimes work really well in matches, uh, but they need time to, to like the match to play out. This only had nine minutes. There was not enough time.
They should have just had Juice, you know, struggle for a bit, then do this, the big comeback. And then with the two finishers, I like a lot with Juice, but, um, this match just did not, it was way too much in nine minutes. It was too much. They tried to put too much wrestling in this wrestling match, not, I don't really, I don't really enjoy Juice Robinson to the, to the, at all.
And I typically don't enjoy Cody's matches as much as I love Cody. So I don't know. This was, this was, this was, I was never going to like it. I, I, I thought it was fine.
Yeah. That's about where I was out. It just, it stings out in the rest of these matches. I think that's the thing.
Like Cody's, Cody shouldn't, I don't know, Cody should not be wrestling as a heel anymore. He can't, it's just, it doesn't work. He is, most people, I mean, like you said, I like Cody, I like Cody, um, and I don't want him, like he's not, he can't work as a heel anymore. And he, and he resorts to like these healing, it takes up putting his wife in front of him and, and you know, cheating, like, you know, whatever, very like simple heel stuff.
And it's kind of tired at this point. And I think, I think he's going to be wrestling less in AEW. And I think, like that match at all in works as well is because he was the face because you're like, yeah, you get the same title, your dad had like, it's like that whole legacy thing was going on in the presentation. It all worked really great.
And it had time. And like some people complain about the link to that match all in. I think it was fine. We have talked about your love of Juice Robinson.
He's, he's just a pure, like, he's just a pure happy smile and he's like surfers sting. That's like, that's all he is. I can see that, but I'm also not a child. I mean, I'm still kind of a child, but I'm glad Juice got a big win at Wrestle Kingdom.
And I think this is, you know, poor tents for the future, you know, they, they, they like Juice a lot. You decide a big contract. He's new United States Champion and I imagine this is going to be, I imagine this championship room with him is going to be very good. I'm, I imagine they're going to keep this title on him for a while and he's going to have a good run of contenders and good, some good matches.
Next up was the junior title. This is the, the first of the four main events, I guess. The junior title with Taji Yishimura and Kushida, the bone soldier, bro. Now he's the bone soldier, Taji Yishimura, thank you very much.
I don't know why, I don't know why there's, the bone soldier gimmick is one of the least ridiculous. They're literally evil, is named evil and it's not ill, but, but evil's great. The bone soldier is great too. This bone soldier is great.
Taji Yishimura is amazing. He's definitely better. Like, but there was nothing wrong with this. I just find bone soldier really stupid and funny.
I thought this match was, was very good again. Um, Kushida, I'm still kind of surprised because she is leaving. I guess just, I, even when it was reported, this was reported months ago, because she is thinking about leaving a new Japan going to WWE. Um, I was kind of surprised because Kushida, it's not a personality guy.
He's not, he is a worker. He is, like, Kushida, what is an amazing wrestler in the ring, one of the best in the world even when he gets the opportunity to show it, someone, he has had amazing matches over his tenure in Japan with everyone. I mean, that's part of the problem probably is because there's not much left for him to do. And I don't think they want to move, they don't want to move him up, they want him to keep his, they want him to be, like, basically, you know, just stage you in your entire life and then retire as one and maybe go work in the dojo, which he'd be great at.
Um, but he's not, he has a costume, not a gimmick, you know, he dresses like Marnie McFly and he comes out with, you know, to Gucci and Stock Brown, but there's, it's not like a bigger gimmick. It's just like, he likes back to the future. That's not, not a character that, I mean, maybe that fits WWE because that literally is a character for WWE. He likes back to the future.
That's his character. But I, I don't know, because he's barely going to NXT, which he'll do fine in NXT. I have no concerns there. Uh, NXT can do, work its magic and he'll have great matches with the people there, but I don't know how, how, what, he'll be on two five live because he sure is not gonna be a heavyweight in WWE, but, um, this is a great match.
I think Ishimori has, gets his first wrestling to match, uh, the man has 12 abs, he, he is a little mighty mouse, he's a, he's a shorting power pack, uh, looks amazing, defeating Kushida. Um, I'm, I, I don't know, I'm, I, I think the juniors will be great. I think that they're gonna have, we're gonna see their, they are, as part of the promos for this, you know, they're gonna have two nights of, uh, of, of, in the Tokyo Dome next year, as it's a weekend, and they're gonna have a, a bigger event for the finale of the Super Juniors, best of the Super Juniors, which kind of leads you to believe that they're gonna have a big, best of the Super Juniors tournament this year, and so hopefully they'll be bigger focus on the juniors and more competition, bringing, bringing more people, bringing more guys from CMLL, bringing guys from, you know, Flip and Ben Dio from Gavonor, you know, make it a bigger deal than it was, than it's been because they're gonna have it in a bigger arena. Um, Jay White, Okada, Trunks Kada is back, Eric, yep, we're bringing, we're bringing out a lot of classic shit in this, uh, this Wrestle Kingdom.
I, I, this, Matt Rieferms at Okada is the best wrestling world to me, um, and I, I'm really happy he lost. Yeah, you said that, um, it's interesting, they're, they're, they're going hard. On putting Jay White over, I, I, well, yeah, I think they, Jay White is now the, the top guy, Jin in the company, Kenny is tentatively not in New Japan, um, but I like it, I don't, like that is not, I don't, like that's the thing why I like about New Japan so much is I don't think as much about, oh, yeah, they're making, they're putting Jay White in a great position for him to take over as the top guy, Jin, no, it's, I like this match simply because of what it does with Okada's story, because you have, in the past six months, you've had Okada come up his, the run up to the match of Dominion with Kenny, and the story of that match is, you know, it's best to have three falls. Okada's had this amazing run with the championship winning, defeating everyone in every match is amazing.
And you have pictures of him fishing leading up to the championship match with Omega and Kenny's training harder than ever. Now he has a bushi by his side and Okada loses, loses the championship and flounders ever since. He becomes balloons, balloons Okada, the balloon maker and changes his hair, steam music changes. He doesn't, he, you know, doesn't, uh, he loses in the G one.
He has struggled throughout the, the past year, and then he starts teaming up with, with Tana Hashi, most, you know, in the past month or so. And it would be an, it would be an easy, it would be an easy, it's an easier story to tell. Oh, Okada now he comes back to his trunks, comes back to his old theme music, he's the Rainmaker again, and he wins, easy, that's an easier story to tell. But I don't think this is an interesting one.
I think it is, I think a more interesting story to me is Okada comes back with the trunks, comes back as the Rainmaker, and still loses, and you know, that, that story is a change in your gear, it's not going to make you win Okada, not going to make you the Rainmaker again. There's something fundamentally wrong. You're like, there's something wrong, like this is not a, there was no, um, this is, this is a clean win, there's no, like this is not dirty finish at all, Jay does not cheat into win this match. And Okada is still team with Tana Hashi, and I, I largely think it's going to be Tana Hashi's champion against Okada again, at some point, and that is the match that is going to be the turning point in Okada, and make him realize what he needs to do.
Maybe he, maybe he, if you're so, so long Okada was defined as the dude who beat Tana Hashi took over as Ace, but I feel like this is the story of Okada reclaiming that again, and maybe making a fundamental change and realizing what he actually has to be. Maybe that is being more Tana Hashi than Tana Hashi is, because that's what this, this feels like, as, like this big Tana Hashi story is not just about Tana Hashi, it is also about Okada, and it's about Jay White, it is about Naito, it's about all these guys, all like kind of realizing what New Japan is, I think that is what this story is kind of establishing, establishing Okada as, as much of, as much a thing of New Japan as Tana Hashi is. You know, when you think of New Japan, you take a Tana Hashi first, and I think this story is end up going to be teaching Okada that he is New Japan, officially, and I mean, you can hear it, you hear that, like, Okada has never been the most liked guy among the fans, I think everyone respects him, and sees the wrestler he is, but they don't love him like they love Tana Hashi, but then you heard that pop when he's revealed the trunks, and that's the beginning of it, I think, is very much like, oh no, people are going to love Okada, and that's what this, I think this is what the story is going to do, it's going to make him, people love Okada, not just respect him, and Jay White's great, Jay White's amazing, I love Jay White, he's the, he's a shithead, he's talented, he's good at what he does. He's a good wrestler, but he's very good at being, and it's, there are no, there's not a lot of heels in New Japan, there's a lot of tweeners, and a lot of faces, like, not a lot of just big, big, old shitheads, even Suzuki gets cheers, and Suzuki is a monster, he's a terrible person, in K-vape, like he's, everybody, I mean, God, who, who, you have to, you really have to be a bad person to not like Suzuki, yes, I mean, he, no, God, he could fucking, he could drive a, a, a bus over orphans, and I'd be like, yes, well, good news for you, and you'll be getting the orphaned bus challenge, we've been wearing a Suzuki, he's on.
It's gonna be so good. But Jay White is just an unrepentant shithead, he, I think, I, I think a lot of people, when he first came up with the Switchblade gimmick, a lot of people were like, he's like an edgy teenager, and I'm like, that's the deal, that's what he is, he's that kind of shithead, that's why you're supposed to hate him, only people who stood it at first, they're like, but his gimmick is so kind of cringy, I'm like, yes, exactly, you don't want to get it, that's exactly what it is, he dresses like Zaz, of course, he's, of course he's that idiot, that's exactly what he is, that's perfect, and he's great, and teaming, and having, when Okada finally, finally gets his hands on Gato and gets it, hits him with a remaker, oh, that's gonna be, chef kiss, it's gonna happen, and I'm just waiting for it, it might not be, it might not happen for two years, but I'm just waiting, I'm the anticipation, White with a big win over Okada, at Wrestle Kingdom, it's a big deal, Naito, first Chris Jericho, for the Intercontinental Championship, no DQ match, very specifically no DQ match. I kind of expected it to get uglier, I'm glad it did it, it was, it was ugly enough, yeah, I think this match was a little bit more elegant than their last one, Jericho is now, like, this was Jericho's MO in New Japan, it's just no DQ, no DQ, no DQ, just be, like, brawl and hit people with tables and ring bells and whatever, I'm glad that this match wasn't as bloody as the last one, I think it works a little bit better, honestly, and I think it was a great match, and I think Naito and Chris Jericho were a little bit, on the, on the similar, similar page in their last match, I think they had a little bit of communication problems a couple times during the last match, there's a little bit of awkwardness at times, this match felt a little bit cleaner, I, I don't know, it was great, Naito, that DDT spot on that table, oh boy, I know, I know Naito was fine, like, he, they can make it look like, yeah, I'm standing on my head and my head, my neck's broken, but he was, he was still standing on his fucking head, he was, he was fine, he's alive, he's fine, he was this user forearm, he had his hand on the, the, the rail the entire time, he was in control, but it's a perfect match, Naito's great, I'm glad he's, and, hey, Eric, he, he looks good in the hat, he looks good in the hat, he carried, he carried, he carried that championship out, in his hands, he didn't throw it at anybody, he didn't throw it, he didn't leave it behind, he carried it, he did not spit on it, he, he, this is all big, this is a big deal, like, that's, it, for a new, for somebody who's not familiar with history of Naito and the, Naito and the Intercontinental Championship, it would, that doesn't seem like much, oh, he carried the belt out, good job, but that's a big deal, and I think that's the story of this year, is Naito, Naito coming to terms with the Intercontinental Championship and rely, I don't know, coming full circle with that, that story that started like six years ago now, like, I think that's, that's this year, I think that's him defending the championship and starting to respect it a little bit, I think, not, I don't know, there's, I think it's going to be, it's not, it's not an easy story to tell, because like, the whole, Naito's whole character is, I'm, I'm not, I'm in Gomer Nable's, I'm, I am a rebel, but I think Naito is smart enough, I think Gato is smart enough to book it, that they can have him, remain that character, but also start protecting the championship a little bit, just a little bit here in their trips and drabs, I'm really, I'm really excited for Naito this year, as much, I'm always excited for Naito, because he's amazing, he's, he's fantastic, maybe he's going to go the distance, finally, I don't know, I mean, he's been the champion before, maybe he doesn't want to wrestle Kingdom, he doesn't, and again, this is the other thing, he doesn't need a championship, he is, there's a, there's a different kind of championship here, he's, it's called the Naito Championship, where whoever beats him, you go, wow, maybe Naito, um, but Chris Jericho says he's not done with New Japan, says he still wants to wrestle, Donahash, he still wants to wrestle Wakata, still wants to wrestle Suzuki and the other guys, of course he does, but Swillie, he just, with the announcement yesterday, I don't know, this might be his last New Japan match, we don't, we're not really sure, it's all kind of tenuous right now, it was his last one, it was a good one to go out on, yeah, I think, I think I still like his match with Omega the most, but that's probably just because I like Kenny the most, but I still think this is a very good match, um, it was definitely good, a lot of these matches from a, like, kind of didn't live up to my initial expectation, but upon repeated viewing, I watched this paper feel like three times all the way through, just ridiculous to say that, they definitely like, I saw things that I missed the first time, yeah, I think that wrestle Kingdom has such hype on it, and both of us looking into minion, but they're, they're too big events of the year, like the only one is the G1, which is an entirely different thing, have such big expectations, because every year they have this incredible things happen, and I don't think this is as good as last year's or, you know, they're always good, and that's something like, I've watched WrestleMania's and I've hated my time, watching them, I never feel that way after a wrestle Kingdom, I wrestle Kingdom, that was good, I felt good, um, the final match is Tanashi versus Kenny Omega for the heavyweight championship, uh, 40 minutes, um, go ace, I didn't, I definitely got to a point where I kind of, I didn't care who won, yeah, like, that was, that was really where I was at, I was just really holding my breath to see which way they were going to take it, but I was really, I'm not historically the biggest Tanashi fan, but like, the storyline has been so interesting, and so, I don't know, man, this just felt, it felt so good to watch this. And I, I think the only, my only problem with the build-up for this match is that they were trying to have it both ways, and, and, and, like, they, they didn't, they didn't want to make Kenny too much of a heel, because he has a huge fan base, um, he's my favorite wrestler, um, and they, they don't, they didn't want to make him too much of a, of a shithead, you know, like, they weren't, they didn't take him to J White levels, and, you know, like, that, that, um, Undertale themed video that Omega released, you know, paints him as a face, like, that is a face promo video, that is not, there's nothing about that, he's like, yeah, he's, yeah, he's definitely the underdog in that video, like, it very paints him as very much, like, in Tanashi is like, this, this kind of obelisk, this, this standard for New Japan, which he is, and he's the ace, even though he isn't technically the ace, but now he is the ace, you know, so, they didn't quite take that as, like, they tried to make it, oh, yeah, we want, we kind of want you to root for Tanashi, obviously, because this is his big comeback story, but we don't want to make Kenny too much of a heel, we want to make him seem reasonable, which is, I think, it's a hard, you're, all wrestling companies are kind of in a hard place right now because it's very difficult to make that dynamic work, and still, especially when it's these guys like this, where you're like, every people love both of them, I think a Japan Tanashi is, by far, the most loved, but I think they obviously do always have an eye towards the international audience, which they definitely want to expand it.
I think that they, they, I don't know, the guy's like, like, Omega, it's obvious, like, they try and wink at that, but it seems like there has been a lot of anxiety in the, their domestic market, that it probably just, it's almost like a signal to the Japanese audience that, yeah, things are changing, but not that much. Yeah, I think they, I think there was, they, despite the fact that people complaining, like, in crying, oh, you know, they're, they're not making New Japan, New Japan anymore, and like, despite the fact, they, tons of people saying that, there is, this wrestling game was more successful than the last one, they are, they are expanding, and I don't, I don't see, I just don't see, they're being, I don't see them changing that much, I think that they understand what, why they are, why they are what they are, and, Japanese people are very resistant to change and racism, all of the things, like it, it makes more sense to have, to have Kenny coming in there and all those guys, all the, all the guys, and saying, oh, we're going to change the world, we're going to change the world, and he's the champion, and you put him, like, against Tanahashi, well, it's better to have someone more heelish, like J. White coming in and screaming new era, you know, right, because you can, you can, you can have, you can have the Japanese guy win, you know, whether it's, Tanah going to end up passing the torch to Okada again, or yeah, exactly, or if it's just Tanah beating J. White, I mean, it's, I don't know, it just seems like, they do want to expand all these things, but they want to do it gingerly, they probably don't want these Japanese fans to just despise them.
I mean, it's their base, it's where they have to, they have to build from that, all that being said, this match was great, both these guys are the best, even Tanahashi with his body breaking down, is still, can still put on amazing matches, and this match was very much, Omega is bigger, Omega is faster, Omega is stronger, but he cannot defeat my spirit, you know, that's, that's the story of this match, because Omega, Tanahashi took unbelievable amount of punishment in this match, there's that, there's that bit in, like, I don't know, two-thirds of the way in, where Omega power bombs him three times in a row, and just is ragdolling him, like, which demonstrates how strong Kenny is, you know, Tanahashi weighs 220 pounds, Kenny is picking him up like he's nothing, and just brutally power bombing, high angle power bombs, three in a row, and you know, you know, how Tanahashi just kind of like, his last bit of strength kicking out, and Tanahashi eating it on that table, moving outside, oh god, like, I knew, everyone knew it was gonna happen, because that was, I, if you pull out a table and then you don't break that table, that's the, that's the, that's a cardinal sin. I mean, I knew that, I knew that he, he was gonna, like, that's a really good, like, he really, Kenny has done that with every single one of his big matches at, at events where he brings out a table, and there's always a question, does it, because there's multiple, there's multiple matches where he's brought out tables and they weren't used, and I feel like this one, I knew immediately that it was gonna happen because Tanahashi looked at it, Tanahashi looked at it the first time, looked at the table and went, no, and went, and threw Kenny back into the ring, but then as the match went on and it sees getting more desperate, he uses the table and Kenny just rolls off and Tanahashi goes right through the table, oh my god, the high fly flow from the top rope, outside the ring through a table, just the amount of punishment he took, and because he's Tanahashi, he's still one, because he, he, I don't know, this, I don't know, I can, like, this, the difference between this and a way that, you know, John Cena would always win, he would always power up and win a match or Hulk Hogan even. This is different to me, because they've been, they've been building this story since April, basically, even earlier than that, in February, because, you know, Tanahashi gets hurt and gets knocked out by Suzuki, and he comes back, challenges Okada and loses, and he cries in the post-match promo, he cries, and says, I must get better, I will get better, and that's all he says, and then he leaves, and then ever since that moment, they've been building him back up, he wins the G1 with that amazing match for Sibushi, and it's remarkable, it's like, I know that Tanahashi isn't as fast as he used to be, he can't move as fast as he used to, and yet, he, he still, it's still as Tanahashi, I don't know, it's, it's like a spell, right, I watch the match and I go wow, it's, it's still him, I don't know how, he's 42 years old now, and still, I go, it's still Tanahashi, he still, he still has that thing, it's still there, that fire, that fighting spirit, as they say, I don't want to downplay Kenny's role in this match, because Kenny's amazing, and his storytelling is the, why, it's just as much why this match, this match works, because he was, if he was not the heel, in the build-up, he was not, he was fine playing the heel during this match, because he was a real shithead, at some certain points, and he was, like, he was a real shithead, and he was very brutal towards, towards, towards Tanahashi, some of those V-triggers, god almighty, they, Tanah has had his brains fucking scrambled so many times, he's had fucking years of Nakamura kicking him in the head, and now this shit, oh my god, oh my god, I, um, I don't know, it was, it was great, and I was at the certain point where like, I don't care who wins, and that's like, that's where I want to be, I want to be where I don't care who wins, I just want them to like have a good match and tell a good story, which is what it did, it would have been either outcome or been beautiful and tremendous, and I mean, I, you know, with, I don't know, I don't know, my gut says that Kenny Omega is going to be wrestling in New Japan again this year, but I don't know for sure, because he's, it would be sad to see Kenny leave Japan, even to, even to go to all Elite, it would be sad. I mean, I think, I don't know, the, the wrestling was a good event, the all Elite thing, all Elite Wrestling's conference yesterday, as of the time of recording this, two days ago by the time you guys were hearing this puts it, and I think a lot of this stuff was coming out well before yesterday, I think Kenny was the biggest question, no one knew, like when the box lost at wrestling, I'm like, yeah, that makes sense, no one thought they were going to win, because of the fact that they're starting their own wrestling company, which the announcers were, that's the other thing, the industry organizers talked about the AEW multiple times, and I don't know if that was, if they had permission or they didn't care because no one in Japan listens to the English commentary, so maybe you can say whatever they want, that it seems more like it's just they're not policed much, right?
But the AEW announcement is, and especially there's a BTE on Monday, which also maybe go, oh, Kenny's definitely going to AEW, but I don't know, we can, let's segue into the press conference and what was all announced, and then we can talk about the future of them after that. You were there, Eric? I was there. How was it?
And in person? I was really surprised that how many people showed up, like it was hard to gauge the size of the crowd from the stream. It was a smallish event in terms of what was going on there, right? I showed up almost two hours early, and there were maybe 40-50 people, maybe 60 in front of me, by the end, when they, you know, at five, when they started letting people in to the caged-off area, there was anywhere between 500 and 1,000 people.
There were a lot of folks there, way more than I was expecting to see, you know, and really nothing was promised. It's just like, hey, sure, around, come look at this. They didn't even really give any swag away or really have much for sale. There was a meet and greet after, but I liked it not to stay and smell wrestling fans, wait in line to shake Christopher Daniels' hands as much as I would love to.
It was enough. I was really close to the front. I could have poked Chris Jericho in the cheek if I'd, you know, been a real dick about it. It was pretty neat, though.
The stream itself, there was some technical problems. Oh, really? Yeah. And also, the crowd wasn't Mike, so you couldn't hear the crowd at all.
It was not the loudest crowd that I had been in. I will say that. It was not like insanely loud or anything. Like, honestly, I feel like they were having a hard time getting everyone to consistently make a lot of noise.
I think a lot of it was people in the back couldn't hear. It was also out in a parking lot. The acoustics were bad. I mean, there were several times where security people would try and tell us to do things and everyone's just running their shoulders.
Like, I don't know what in the hell you're saying to me. I just, I can't hear a word, right? So, I mean, that could have been, that could have been part of it, but there were definitely a lot of very exciting people there. Well, we ran down a lot.
This was known prior, if you were paying attention. Yeah, SCU, obviously, a part of it. Chris Redano, Scorpio, Sky, Frankie, Kazarian, the good trio to have on your team. Cody and the Bucks are known, are officially executive vice, executive vice presidents of all elite, real about the con family.
And they had a press release earlier in the day, including a press release from Shadgon, the father, who is the money, who's a multi, multi-billionaire, who's like, yeah, I'm investing in this. Don't worry, everything else is fine. I'm not going to, I think I don't know what it is, but every time someone puts like a really rich person puts money in a wrestling, they have to like let their investors know, like, don't worry, it's just another investment. It's not going to affect anything else.
I'm like, well, if it wasn't wrestling, would you have to make out, make that disclosure? Like, they're like, yeah, I'm investing money, and my son loves wrestling. You guys understand, right? My son loves wrestling.
I'm letting him do a thing. But they didn't announce a deal with OWE, Chinese wrestling company, which should be really neat. I've seen very little tiny, tiny bit of them, not a lot. Having this platform, they've, they're not, the thing they're known about right now is strong arts from Dragon Gate, or in OWE now.
And I think that's what everyone talks about online, mostly is them, but they, they have a lot of great workers. And I think this, this partnership will allow some of them to demonstrate their ability. And like in a year or two years, you will know multiple guys from that company by name and go, Oh, they're amazing. How can I not know about them?
And the answer is, Oh, because they worked only in China. And then you're going, Oh, okay. But that's, I think it's a really smart play. And that's like, that's also a smart business decision, like, because, hey, there's a lot of people in China.
Exactly. You open up a, you signal that you're opening things up to China, like they're even to this in almost everything, there's this division to where there's stuff for the rest of the world, and then there's stuff for China. And just that Chinese market, people are really wanting to break into it. It could be really tremendous.
It didn't really go over that announcement. Right. I mean, it's not like it's not sexy. No, it's absolutely not just because like, you don't, it's an unknown, you know, you don't know shit about it.
It's, it's not having pop come out and start a beef with Adam Page. It's people that you have no idea what you can do and a guy that should know what he's talking about. But he's saying, Oh, man, you guys don't even know it's gonna be great. But I, I agree with you.
Like this, this could be excellent. And I think that's the, that's the, this is the, the tone of this was a little strange because it was like half big wrestling thing like, Hey, what's had people start like people get hit with, with crutches and pop coming out in his gear. That was showed down with Paige. And then also like, no, we're entering partnerships with this.
And we're actually going to be here's some events and where they're going to take place and we're going to be partnering with charities. And it felt like half, I don't know, like it was kind of a strange, I mean, it's wrestling. So it kind of is a big umbrella. But I feel like it, I feel like it almost could have been two different events where like, Hey, this is Cody in the box doing like very serious business presenting himself is very serious.
Hey, this is this. And then also like have another half that is all wrestling of like having Adam Page and pack up a showdown, but whatever. I, I don't know for me, I don't see the division. Like I just, it feels like it was almost like an episode of being the elite, you know, where it flips back and forth where they're, they're talking about real cute things that they're doing, business things.
And then here's a goofy sketch, true. Or here's whatever. It just, it really felt like their style, right? It felt really right for me.
They announced double or nothing. Officially made 25th in the, in the loss of Vegas, it's Memorial Day weekend. I want to go and, but I have come to the realization with the fact that this is going to be happening a lot. They're going to be, they're, they're company now.
They're going to be running many events over the years. I do not have the money to go to every single one. I would love to. I don't, I think this is a bigger arena than the one for all in has 15 seats, 15,000 plus.
I think this will sell out faster than all in. Mm hmm. Oh, I'm real to think about one. It's in Vegas, two, which is even a bit easier sell to a tourist than Chicago is.
Yeah. Because there's, it's, and it's all right there. It's everything you want in to do as a torch like, Hey, it's all in the strip. It's all, it's all right there.
She here. He is ready. I know I'm not surprised. Has he ever been to Vegas?
Yes, he loves it. It sucks. That's what I get. That's, I only know.
There's only two kind of people. There's people who love Vegas and people who hate it. Uh, but it, you know, in the scalpers, I think people are talking about scalpers for that first show. It's going to be way worse for this show.
There's going to be way more scalpers for the show than the first one. But that's, that's exciting. And I think that's going to be the, that's going to be like the initial event as for AEW. And I think it's going to be a kickoff too.
I think there's going to be a lot of things that happen on that show. I think they're going to probably formally announce the television of that show. Um, my guess is like here, after the show, we're going to start making TV. Um, because there's a lot of rumors that their TV deals in the works on the process of getting signed.
There's a lot of eyes to dot and tees across, but, um, we got Brandy coming out and announcing their women's division, uh, and, and having Britt Baker be their first official, uh, women's signing and they're announcing that women would be paid the same as men, which is a big deal. I don't think many, it feels like some people don't realize that. Uh, but women wrestlers aren't paid as much as men, mostly, right? Right.
Like 90% of the time women do not make the same amount as men do in any level from the WWE down to the lowest indie. Most women do not make as much as men do. So I, that is, again, you're talking about signals earlier. This is like, there's a lot of stuff on this that is solely geared towards fans in this press conference.
They're like, Hey, yeah, you're going to love this and you'll love this. Look at these guys, you know, we're going to be doing this here and this here. It's all very exciting. But then I think there's some here that are signals to other wrestlers, like, Hey, women will be paid the same as men here.
That is a, that is a signal to every own sign women in the whole world. Like, Hey, if you are a top female talent, we will respect you and treat you and pay you as equally as men yet. And that is like, Hey, come work for us. They talk about insurance, talk about like happy wrestlers.
That is, these are all clear signals. Like, Hey, they may not have, I think that's something that some people, I don't think understand when they're talking. Like I was looking at people discussing this online. I don't think that's something they understand.
Like if they are ever going to be a quote, unquote big company, a competitor WWE, which they are not right now. There's no one is no one's a competitor with WWE, not even New Japan, because WWE is a billion dollar company. And there's nothing that's even close. But if they are going to be one, it's not going to be happening.
It's not going to happen today, or three months from now, it's going to happen over a span of years. It's going to take slow investment and build. And it starts with this with them going, Hey, I can't sign you right now, because you're, you're signed with some company, probably WWE, maybe ring of honor, maybe New Japan in a year or two years when your contract is up, you're going to, right now you've already thinking, maybe I should sign with a w they if they have insurance, that's a big deal. If they have an easier schedule, that's a big deal.
They still have TV, like, and as more things come out, I think it'll be more clear. But I think some of this was geared specifically towards wrestlers, and they know we're watching, and they know we're paying attention. And they know, I don't have, they don't have to get every single person to sign with them. They just have to get a select amount, because WWE can't keep everyone, no matter how much money they throw around.
And because it's not an issue of money anymore, because the cons have it. But I think that's like, Hey, Britt Baker's a very good wrestler, and she's a good for signing. And I know that they've talked, there's a lot of rumors about other women they've talked to, they have Penelope for as well. It's also good.
They're going to sign more, you know, this is just the start. We have MJF, who I love, who is like 22, very young. But they were talking about that in the build up to all in, like he is going to be a superstar at some point in his life, just simply because of his promobility. I mean, he's a fine wrestler.
He's all right, he's not amazing, but he's good. But his promos are even at 22, he's great at the mic, he's a natural, and they clearly want, no, we want him because he can do because he can talk. He's like, the Miz and Alberto, the Rio had a baby, basically. And he was Jewish, that's basically what, that's what Maxwell Jacob Freeman is.
But he's a good first, he's a good early signing, and then they have Janela and Penelope Ford. Janela is hurt right now, but he's also a great personality, who has, who has, I think, a similar mindset as the box and Cody do. He puts on, you know, he curates his own, his own shows on WrestleMania weekend, and they are crazy with weird match ups that you never think to see. And he like, he books him like, yeah, this is what 16-year-old Joey wanted to see.
So that's why I book my shows. I don't care about anything else. And I think Janela, when he's healthy again, he'll be a great addition. And Penelope Ford worked really great together, even though I don't, they used to be dating him, maybe they're not anymore.
I don't know, it's all wrestling, so who knows, K-Fade. Hangman came out, who is, declares himself as their first world champion, which would not surprise me if he was their first world champion, because he is their future. He is the future of AEW. He may not be the president, but he's definitely the future.
And then you get, Pac, formerly known as Neville, W. Coming out, who is a huge get. I know you are not as familiar with him. No, I don't even know where, where are you watching his matches even.
I mean, he wrestled for WWE for like six years. So look at that, but that's NXT or WWE and then Dragon Gate. They have their own, they have their own streaming service, but before that, you could just watch them on YouTube, and you probably still can watch them on YouTube. I mean, he wrestled Ox somehow.
He wrestled Osprey this past weekend in Britain. So that was amazing. Yeah, of course. But he's amazing.
He's one of the best wrestlers in the world. And so having them, and his time at WWE taught him how to have a personality at least, that's the thing, because he was always a great worker. He didn't have much of a character. And now he is basically a goblin king, which is perfect.
He's the bastard. He's called himself the bastard now, which is great also. He's like, how was your, he's like his first tweet after Christmas was Christmas was shit. So that's very good.
You gotta stay on brand, I guess. Yes, you do. So that's a tremendous get for them. He is another one of those like top level guys that can float around and do anything and be successful at it, which is what you really want or this with these guys, you want building blocks.
They all need to fit very particular roles. And that and the fact that he, see, because Pac, when he came back very recently, he went, he's back in Dragon Gate, which is where he started. It's hidden showing loyalty to them. And he's a champion.
That championship belt is a championship in Dragon Gate. And the fact that he brought it out tells me that Dragon, and Dragon Gate has people in WWE as well. So it tells me that Dragon Gate is probably on board with AW in some regard. And that's the, they are, they probably, from what the rumors say is they got, you know, Ring of Honor is probably not gonna work with them because they're competition in the US.
New Japan seems not sure, currently a no, it seems. But there are, hey, there's like a dozen other wrestling companies, all with tremendous workers. And that's what, that, it seems what the AW strategy is. Just go to everyone else and say, hey, you want to work with us?
Well, you guys have workers on our shows, we'll have guys on your shows, et cetera, et cetera. And just scooping all of them up over it, like, you know, in that Dragon Gate, OEW, WWE, that's a, they're like little tiny gets that add up to a much bigger hole, especially to get Pac as part of the equation. And then final, the big final giant thing, Chris Jericho comes out and announces he's joining, which doesn't surprise me, considering how much he's been on PTE in the past, you know, eight months. But he is, he is a name, he's valuable.
He is someone that an average wrestling fan knows. Yep. So, you know, that's, they need someone like that to bring in eyeballs. You know, if they really want to be a true competitor with WWE, at some point in the future, you need a name like that to gain that attraction, to gain that average person.
And Chris Jericho is that still, there's people, there's people who didn't watch New Japan until Chris Jericho wrestled there. And they're like, oh yeah, New Japan's the thing. And it's the same thing for here. You're like, hey, who's AW, who these guys, how much indie guys and New Japan guys?
Oh, Chris Jericho's there. Oh, okay. I'll watch. I'll try it out, give it a chance.
That's all they need at some point, you know, people to give it a chance. 50 year old Chris Jericho. He's on the AEW. I'm gonna ask you a question, Eric.
I don't know if you know the answer. I'll do my best. How old do you think Hogan was when he was in the NWA? He was definitely pretty elderly.
He was 46. When the NWA started, 1996, he was 46 years old. So, he lines up for me. Yeah.
I'm not criticizing Chris Jericho. It's amazing that he's not fucking dead. And he's not, he's what? 45?
48? He's not 50. He's 49. Yeah, he's, he's, he's, he's pretty.
Like that's fucking ancient. Like, wrestler years are like double dog years. But like, I don't know, I don't know how he's doing it. Vodka.
Vodka. No, vodka and DDP yoga. Fair enough. That'll, that'll, that'll grace you with long life.
Huh? If you look at his Instagram, it seems, let's do a podcast. That seems like a CDP yoga seems to be what it is. Um, I don't know.
I, I, I, there's a lot of, a lot of criticism of the production of the stream, uh, of, of, it looks amateurish. I'm like, it's a press conference, guys. It's gonna, like the Jackson Jaguars, the guys who own the Jaguars who own Premier League team, uh, they, it's not gonna be a, that's not gonna be a problem. They know how this stuff works in long run.
This is them trying to seize on a moment and get straight with Aaron as hot with his press conference. Um, I'm excited about all the elite wrestling. I think February 1st, they announced Kenny Omega assigned because that's when his contract on New Japan is up. Um, Kenny is the other big question that I don't think it's in doubt now that he's joining AW.
Um, I think the bigger question is if he is going to work in Japan and if New Japan is willing to work with AW because of Kenny Omega. And that's ultimately, I think New Japan will bludge on that. I think, ultimately, I think they're in a tough spot. New Japan is because they have a partnership with Raymonor and Raymonor is a direct competitor now with AW and they don't want to be seen as partnering with a competitor of the, the person, even though one Raymonor hasn't, what has Raymonor done for New Japan recently, other than have events on in the US that New Japan can have people be there.
But what sells a lot of Raymonor events is New Japan stars, not Raymonor stars. I love J. Lethal, but J. Lethal and Raymonor's booking is the problem.
Uh, it has been the problem for years now and they've gotten by with having New Japan guys, having the elite on the shows who can, because they're such good wrestlers, because they have such character, because they do their own work with BTE that they can get by. But they're, no one is going to, not many people are going to Raymonor to see Dalton Castle. I like Dalton Castle, but Kenny, the box, are the recent people who are going to Raymonor flows, and without them, Raymonor signed Bandido, which is, Bandido is great. Um, but then they signed PCO.
PCO is a side-toaturization. These 50 years old is like, Lunatech. Um, I don't, I, a lot of people are, this is conjecture. A lot of people are, because Raymonor and New Japan have a big cross-platform promotional show, WrestleMania Weekend.
At Madison Square Garden. It's a big deal. They sold out Madison Square Garden in New York on that, on WrestleMania Weekend. But after that show, does New Japan go, man, AW has a lot of good guys, and they're doing shows in America too, Do we need to keep up this partnership with Ring of Honor?
Because if I was them, I would drop it and go to AEW, if I could. And I think that's ultimately like, Kenny Omega, I think someone wrote this as a joke, but Kenny was like, you know, he's, I doubt that he was like, I doubt he like, didn't tell the New Japan like what he was doing. I'm pretty sure he's like, I'm going to go join my friends in this new company. Do you want to work with us?
And New Japan's like, uh, we can't. Then okay, bye. Like, I think that's honestly what it is. And Kenny's like, oh, well, I'm going to go work for AEW.
Probably work the same, um, same schedule. Be at first the focus of the company. Him, Jericho, Hangman, and Pack are probably going to be the focus, the top stars. And he's a get, he's the mo- like, W.
Trying to get him, but I don't, he doesn't want to work for them. He can get money anywhere. And he doesn't want to become what all his buddies have been when they've joined. And I honestly don't see New Japan going, oh, we don't want to have Kenny Omega Russell for us again.
I feel like they understand his value. Like, I would say that Kenny Omega is the biggest role in the entire world. Him and Okada both. Um, I think as a solo act, it's not, John Cena now, John Cena is gone.
I don't think I think Brock Lesnar's impact is overrated. At this point, I mean, like, when he first came back, absolutely, he was a huge straw. I don't see it anywhere. I certainly, I don't get, who gets excited about seeing him wrestle anymore?
Does anyone? Do people still get excited for Brock Lesnar? There are a lot of just that basic people. I just, I, I just don't see the people.
Like, he's not, his matches aren't that exciting. And what's the charm in watching him wrestle at it? I don't know. But I think Kenny Omega is the biggest straw in the world.
And New Japan realizes that, and I think that eventually he will make them, his, his presence will make them work with AEW. Uh, I don't, even if it's, even if they don't necessarily want to, or make things difficult with other business partners, I think they'll still do it because of Kenny Omega. Like, after who is now in Ring of Honor that they absolutely need as a part of their shows? Nobody.
Marty is going to be, Marty, Marty Serrell is leaving in April. That's almost set in stone. I can guarantee it. He'll be joining AEW as well.
And then I'm sure they will be announcing more signings as they go, or women's signings as they go, as they get, as they gear up to, or, or double or nothing. And then that would be the launching pad for their shows, probably. And for a TV deal, the, the rumor is TNT, or TBS, a Turner again. It'll be on Turner, WWE will have counter programming on the, on a Turner network.
History repeats itself. I, I can't help but laugh. It doesn't really just need to put it on the internet. I mean, I assume I assume that's the main thing.
No, I'm assuming. I mean, I, one, well, the probably, it's not the fact that they, well, they will actually have a streaming service. It was either is a part of fight TV or their own, or imagine they'll start with fight TV and then make their own eventually. But the TV is more about a guaranteed amount of money coming in every single week.
Of course, that's, you know, the TV money is still valuable. There's less people watching TV than ever, but they're still valuable money. Oh, yeah. It's still, it's still big.
Yes. It's even, even though it's shrinking, it's nothing to thumb your nose at. And if it's content that they can put it into both places, you know, simultaneously. I imagine it will be a delay.
I imagine they'll have a point television and then it'll, it'll be, it'll be what they'll, who knows which way they'll go with it. I think it's just as likely to be one of the other, but it would be, I think, tremendously better because most of their fans are, they're not going to like, you don't watch TNT. Here, here's what I'll tell you, Eric, as this is just me. But if they said, they now say, yes, we're going to have a TV show.
It's going to be weekly, whenever time it is. I don't have a cable subscription. I don't have a satellite subscription. I guarantee you that there's a way I can find, I can find a, I can find a, some streaming service that offers TNT or CBS as a part of its package for however much it is a month.
And if they said, we can't swing it so that the show is on the internet as well. I would pay for an additional streaming service just to get their show. I would do it because I'm not curious. I'm not interested.
I like these guys enough. I like their ideas. I'm that interested. I would do it.
I would find a way to watch it legitimately to make sure that there was a, not just a, there's definitely going to be easy pirate streams of it. That will not be a question because it's wrestling. The lowest of indie shows has pirate streams. The ones that are actually free to watch have pirate streams.
But I would, I would find a way to pay them for it because I feel like there's value there. And I want to put my money where my mouth is. And if they, if it is on network TV and that's the only way to see it, I will pay for it in some way, shape, or form to see it, to watch it. I don't, and I, I think they, I don't know if there's, I think they know that they're internet fan based the ones who don't have TV or don't watch much TV like them enough that they, you know, it's a value proposition at a certain point.
And I think they, they, they have smart wrestling people and then they have smart, they have access to a network of smart television people with the connections to the jaguars and their dealings with that stuff. They can always, hey, do you know a guy who can help us with this? And yes, absolutely they know people. And that's a, that's a big value for them.
That's, that makes them different than a lot of other, a lot of other wrestling companies that have sprung up is the power behind it. I don't know, I, I, I can't see it as being a bad thing. No. Like in any way, shape or form, I think the wrestling will be good.
People are like, oh, they're, they've never booked a show before. I'm like, they, they write their own, they write a weekly show. It's called B.T.E. They've done it for years now.