If WWE struck a deal with "Japan"...

[Guest Ram]

Hey, Downhome, how'd you get the WWFe logos on that picture in your sig?

http://smackdown.wwe.com/superstars/cena_j/index.html#

[Guest Downhome]

Ok, apparently some of you just ignored the part in my post asking you to ASSUME they were allowed to work their own style, lol. Oh well, whatever...

[Guest gangsteruwa]

I don't think the casual fans would "get" some of the Japanese Heavyweights. I think they would get bored. The first time I watched a best of Kobashi tape, I was like "what the fuck?" Then I watched it again (one match at a time) and was like "Fucking Sick!!!" The problem is you have to understand the psychology and the style of these guys. Strong Style is amazingly brutal and very entertaining, if you get it.

 

If the Undertaker, Albert, or (insert big lug name here) started wrestling like that (and Albert wore a shirt) I would cease my bitching about them. They just need to get out of "Hoss Mode" and pick up some psychology. Undertaker has psychology he just has to get stiff and do more "Holy Shit" moves.

 

There is no question that Japanese Juniors would be over. They were the best part about WCW in my opinion. I watched a Toryumon show and was very impressed. I had no idea who was who, except for CIMA and Tokyo Magnum, but I liked it.

[Guest Brian]

First, I think they're better off getting juniors.

 

Second, I don't think it will work. Almost no benefit for McMahon, at least in his point of view. I mean, he'd never put them over at home and sending younger guys there to get work, and most likely get better, would be like conceding that they are putting out a better wrestling product.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

I honestly don't think it would work.

 

First of all, if I was a wrestler I don't think I would want to be wrestling the same style the Japanese wrestlers do. I wouldn't want Kawada dropping me on my head all match and then kicking be in the face 10x harder than RVD. Wrestling this style 52 weeks a year along with 12 PPV's would really take a toll on the wrestler's bodies.

 

Secondly, I think the quote about "Would the fans simply be turned off because of all of the 'Japanese dudes...'" would hold very true. How would the casual fan be able to differentiate every single wrestler? To be quite honest, when you first start watching puro it just looks like a bunch of Japanese guys beating the hell out of each other with a bunch of ultra stiff moves. And we all know how incompetent Michael Cole would be at trying to give us a history of each guy. Mic skills would also be a problem. Sure you can have an invasion, but how are they going to explain what it's all about.

[Guest Brian]

Head dropping is not that common.

 

10 times harder than RVD is not that stiff.

 

Sort of weird that this stiffer style churns out a whole lot less injuries.

 

Different wrestlers have different in-ring styles, different maneurisms. How do you think casual fans in Japan tell them apart?

 

I agree with the announcers though. But you can work around the mic problem, it's called a manager.

[Guest Trivia247]

Ok, apparently some of you just ignored the part in my post asking you to ASSUME they were allowed to work their own style, lol. Oh well, whatever...

Unfortunately for us Cynical Jaded Smarks we just can't bring ourselves to assume the impossible. Vince controls the movesets of his guys and if there was a deal struck with a Japanese federation or more than one , their wrestlers would have to abide by their standards. Those wrestlers wouldn't even break a sweat being in the WWE.

 

would ruin the Smarkish Mystique in Japanese wrestlers and wrestling when they come trademarked by the WWE lol

 

but you never know. Maybe Hell will freeze over one day.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

There's no clear cut Japanese style. Some Junior's work shoot style, some big guys work power style, and there's tons of different stuff depending on where you look. "Ultrastiffness" is not that name of the game everywhere. It's hardly the name of the game anywhere, mater of fact.

 

Juniors like Liger, Tiger Mask IV, and maybe Kanemoto or Takaiwa could get over because the first two are great at demonstrative selling that overcomes the barriers of seeing their faces. Kanemoto and Takaiwa are perfect assholes, and can get over because of it. Ohtani isn't a junior anymore, but he can still get it done.

 

Heavyweights are different. Nagata, Sasaki, Chono, Mutoh, and Kawada would have trouble in an American setting, I think. All of these guys have worked America before, with varrying degrees of success, but the way the WWE is now I don't see it getting over. The fans have been conditioned to like a certain style for so long in their heavyweight matches that Kawada's slower style isn't a good fit, nor is the NJ heavyweight style, nor is Mutoh's ultra-repetative style. As for Keji using the Muta gimick in America, anyone who remembers his last WCW run will know why that is a lost cause by itself.

[Guest Trivia247]

I don't think that they could get over because, first of all, they're foreigners and you know just much Vince LOVES to put over foreigners. Secondly Vince wouldn't want them whipping out moves like Tiger Driver 91, cause then the fans would look at the pedigre and go: "Hey, instead of doing the Pedigre, he could do a BETTER move from the same position!" And if there is one thing Vince hates, its to have home grown talent shown up. The only way to get these two promotions together is to play Fire Pro Wrestling.

Actually Regal was using the Tiger Driver for a while before he went into Half nelson Suplex period. Was during that WM 18 Experiment with new moves period with some of the wrestlers.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

The regular Tiger Driver dosen't drop them straight on their head.

[Guest Rob Edwards]

One problem with bringing in Japanese wrestlers isn't the fans but what wrestlers in the WWE would be willing to work with them.

 

RVD and Jericho where criticized for being to stiff, imagine what the reaction will be for the Japanese wrestlers that are actually stiff.

Couldn't agree more 90% of the roster would run crying to Vince as soon as someone threw a stiff kick. So no matter how much I'd love to see Angle v Kawada it's very unlikley

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

I think Kobashi would get over the best of any Japanese wrestler, since he can speak good English and therefore he could work the mic if necessary. That all being said, I think the anticipated Mutoh vs. Rock match in Japan is more likely to go down. It would probably do huge business too.

[Guest EricMM]

Maybe if Rey Jr. Succeeds it would be a bit of an acid test to determine if foreign styles can get over in Vince's eyes.

 

Personally I would enjoy the matches. I know that ECW imported a lot of talent and the fans took it in stride. I think it's clear that the WWE COULD get it over if they wanted too.

 

I'm sure there are enough workers who can work Japanese style to make it work. Guys like Guerrero, Benoit, and Jericho have done it before. I think it would elevate the Japanese workers to be wrestling with these guys, especially if the matches were solid back and forth matches.

 

Maybe it would mean that initially Benoit, Jericho, Eddy, and anyone else to work the style would have to say bye bye to the heavyweight title initally, but there are a million people to take their place. I don't think any of us would mind if Rock held the title...

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

10 times harder than RVD is not that stiff.

It is for WWE talent. You know how they complain about RVD.

 

Sort of weird that this stiffer style churns out a whole lot less injuries.

For 200 dates a year?

 

But you can work around the mic problem, it's called a manager.

But they would have to hire totally new managing talent. No Shane... no Heyman, anything like that would cause the fans to associate it with just another WWE idea.

[Guest Trivia247]

Its a Shame Mr Fuji is retired and too old now, he could solve the Mic problem as Manager for the Japanese wrestlers.

[Guest Brian]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in comparison during the tours, it's a much more compact schedule. It's the off-season, that little break between tours that makes it seem more lopsided, but the reality is that they have to work a more demanding schedule during their time in.

 

They don't need to talk. Benoit go over without a whole lot of talking. In fact, put emphasis on their in-ring work. And, if they strike a deal with New Japan, you always have Inoki.

[Guest Downhome]

Sure you can have an invasion, but how are they going to explain what it's all about.

Two words, and two words only...

 

...Sonny Ono!!!!!

[Guest Brian]

Antonio Inoki.

[Guest Downhome]

Funaki, he speaks perfect English don't he?