Why Can't We Get This Card In The US?

[Guest BoboBrazil]

WWE's Smackdown brand opened their current tour of the Far East on 7/17 at the Yokohama Arena in Japan. The main event of the show saw WWE champion Brock Lesnar win a Three-Way match over Kurt Angle and The Big Show in a Vengeance PPV preview when Lesnar pinned Angle.

 

Since they were in Japan, they gave Eddy Guerrero vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri the semi-final slot, with them going over 20 minutes before Guerrero scored the pin.

 

In other championship matches on the show, WWE Tag Team champions Charlie Haas and Shelton Bejamin defeated Rhyno and Chris Benoit, and Rey Misterio, Jr. pinned Billy Kidman to retain the WWE Cruiserweight championship.

 

Ultimo Dragon returned home as a member of the WWE roster, defeating Jamie Knoble. Matt Hardy defeated Spanky (who worked Japan as Leonardo Spanky with Zero-One before signing with WWE).

 

Other results from the shosw saw John Cena pinned Billy Gunn....Sho Funaki worked a rare bout, going over A Train since they were in Japan....Sable won a Four Way Bikini match over Torrie Wilson, Nidia, and Dawn Marie.

 

 

1wrestling.com

[Guest Fook_Hing_Ho]

We won't get this because as North Americans, we're supposed to want SPORTZ ENTERTAINMENT~! instead of actual wrestling.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

No Vince? No Sable? No Stephanie? No Zach Gowen?

 

That ain't right.

[Guest Memphis]

We won't get this because as North Americans, we're supposed to want SPORTZ ENTERTAINMENT~! instead of actual wrestling.

But it's not like they don't have that over in Japan.

 

Keiji Mutoh's vision of wrestling is, ideally, much the same as Vince McMahon's. Sit down and watch any Wrestle-1 show and just spot the similarities.

 

Funny how they see that just because Tajiri is Japanese, the people want to see him. Not to take anything away from him, but the stereotype is wrong.

 

I'm Australian and I would oppose any Nathan Jones bullshit in front of me if I attended a WWE event in my own country.

 

Vince sucks.

 

M

[Guest Deviant]

Damn right! Go Funaki! Japan give little man super strength!

 

So remind me why the hell they release passable UK and Australia tours on DVD, which usually have two or three good matches, but don't release this brief moment of awesomeness with five matches I'd love to see?

[Guest Memphis]

Damn right! Go Funaki! Japan give little man super strength!

 

So remind me why the hell they release passable UK and Australia tours on DVD, which usually have two or three good matches, but don't release this brief moment of awesomeness with five matches I'd love to see?

Because it's WWE.

[Guest JMA]

No Vince? No Sable? No Stephanie? No Zach Gowen?

 

That ain't right.

Sable was there. The others were not, however.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Funny how they see that just because Tajiri is Japanese, the people want to see him. Not to take anything away from him, but the stereotype is wrong.

 

I'm Australian and I would oppose any Nathan Jones bullshit in front of me if I attended a WWE event in my own country.

 

Vince sucks.

 

Tajiri is over with even American fans for being a good wrestler with nice-looking kicks. If they give him even half a chance fans dig him. Any wrestler that's semi-popular in most places is mega-over in his home region. Hence, Tajiri probably got a big pop to boot.

 

Jones is utterly worthless and isn't at all popular, over, or have any redeeming qualities. If they did try to pull that, well...WWE *is* stupid enough.

[Guest Trivia247]

because the Japanese crowd would was a ritual sacrifice of Vince if he brought that Sports entertainment crap there....

 

We in the States need to get tougher...

 

should be give us a good show or we choppy off your Pee Pee!

 

yea that was low even for me..poor Yamaguchi san...

[Guest BoboBrazil]

Japanese fans love the sports entertainmentt. Remember on Confidential they showed footage of their last tour of Japan? Fans were chanting all of the catchphrases, had signs, and even dressed up like the wrestlers. They'll probably show footage from this tour on the next Confidential.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I thought I heard that Japanese fans were a bit receptive to Sportz Entertainment because many Japanese promotions have started adopting the style, plus if freakin' Hogan can be over huge in Japan then surely it isn't out of the question.

 

They would hate having 3 minute matches though.

 

EDIT: Bobo beat me. Ah well, the point still stands. For them, it's something different.

[Guest Trivia247]

sports entertainment but still Demand the wrestling they Want!

[Guest AndrewTS]

sports entertainment but still Demand the wrestling they Want!

So how would they react to an average Raw broadcast?

 

Why haven't they been completely driven away by the horrible TV shows?

[Guest Trivia247]

sports entertainment but still Demand the wrestling they Want!

So how would they react to an average Raw broadcast?

 

Why haven't they been completely driven away by the horrible TV shows?

don't they get the Smackdown brand?

 

or at least the house shows.

[Guest Dangerous A]

But it's not like they don't have that over in Japan.

 

Keiji Mutoh's vision of wrestling is, ideally, much the same as Vince McMahon's. Sit down and watch any Wrestle-1 show and just spot the similarities.

First off, when you say sit down and watch ANY Wrestle-1 show, do you mean the first or the second. Wrestle-1 has promoted exactly 2 shows. I wouldn't think that would be a good enough example of sportz entertainment in Japan.

 

A closer version of Sports Entertainment from a Japanese promotion is FMW and WEW, both of which I believe no longer exist. Those 2 promotions had even crazier angles than WWE, with porno stars getting involved along with some insane death match stuff. They had president of the company roles even before WWE.

 

Japanese fans are somewhat receptive to Sports Entertainment, but in the end, if you don't give them a satisfactory in ring product, they will stop buying. Ask FMW and WEW. Japan has had a lot more promotions start up and quickly sink because it's hard to satisfy the Japanese market and find what they really want. However, New Japan and All Japan are still here after some 30 years and they still run somewhat traditional angles and storylines for their respective promotions. (although All Japan is on life support right now)

[Guest AndrewTS]

sports entertainment but still Demand the wrestling they Want!

So how would they react to an average Raw broadcast?

 

Why haven't they been completely driven away by the horrible TV shows?

don't they get the Smackdown brand?

 

or at least the house shows.

I think so, but a while back they had the Raw brand tour--remember Booker and some others got sick?

 

And during that tour Triple H defended the title against Tajiri even though Tajiri was and still is on the SD brand.

[Guest Steviekick]

Yeah...but Tajiri mainevented a Raw in the States after KOR in 2001 against Jericho. He's world class, youknow?

[Guest Sturgis]

But it's not like they don't have that over in Japan.

 

Keiji Mutoh's vision of wrestling is, ideally, much the same as Vince McMahon's. Sit down and watch any Wrestle-1 show and just spot the similarities.

First off, when you say sit down and watch ANY Wrestle-1 show, do you mean the first or the second. Wrestle-1 has promoted exactly 2 shows. I wouldn't think that would be a good enough example of sportz entertainment in Japan.

 

A closer version of Sports Entertainment from a Japanese promotion is FMW and WEW, both of which I believe no longer exist. Those 2 promotions had even crazier angles than WWE, with porno stars getting involved along with some insane death match stuff. They had president of the company roles even before WWE.

 

Japanese fans are somewhat receptive to Sports Entertainment, but in the end, if you don't give them a satisfactory in ring product, they will stop buying. Ask FMW and WEW. Japan has had a lot more promotions start up and quickly sink because it's hard to satisfy the Japanese market and find what they really want. However, New Japan and All Japan are still here after some 30 years and they still run somewhat traditional angles and storylines for their respective promotions. (although All Japan is on life support right now)

FMW/WEW(which is one in same) went to shit when Fuyuki took over once Onita steped down as owner. Deathmatches were a thing of the past, and sports entertainment took over. FMW was fine until then, and would probably still be around but once SE took over FMW went down the tubes quickly. Tanaka and Mike Awesome(The Gladiator) went to ECW. ECW stopped sending their wrestlers to FMW. The final nail in the coffin was when Hayabusa(who was the most over guy in the company) got parlyized. SE was only part FMW's problems, basically nobody in the company cared anymore

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Man, I miss Hayabusa.

[Guest Sturgis]

So do I. I just wonder what would happen if he didn't get paryllized? He speaks English and is regonized by non-puro US fans so he might have had a shot at WWE.

[Guest Steviekick]

So do I. I just wonder what would happen if he didn't get paryllized? He speaks English and is regonized by non-puro US fans so he might have had a shot at WWE.

I always thought that Hayabusa would have been huge in te states. The man was amazing. Didn't he regain some feeling? I thought he was on crutches, but never to wrestle again.

[Guest Sturgis]

That's the last I heard, but I'm optmistic.

[Guest deadbeater]

Tajiri is folllowed because he is great.

 

They cheer for the wrestling Divas, especially Molly, who was a second to The Great Muta for a while.

[Guest Askewniverse]

Results from last night's Smackdown house show in Japan (taken directly from pwtorch.com):

 

WWE house show results

July 18, 2003

Yokohama, Japan at Yokohama Arena

Report by Koichi Yoshizawa, PWTorch.com correspondent

 

Sable came out and introduced the show.

 

(1) Billy Kidman defeated Spanky at 7:12 with a Shooting Star Press.

 

(2) Billy Gunn & Torrie Wilson defeated Jamie Knoble & Nidia at 3:53 when Wilson used a DDT on Nidia for the win. After the match Gunn and Torrie both dropped their pants a bit which titillated the Japanese fans.

 

(3) Matt Hardy defeated Shoichi Funaki at 5:39 with the Twist of Fate. The finish came after Funaki missed a flying move off the top rope.

 

(4) Rhyno defeated Sean O'Haire at 8:53 with The Gore.

 

(5) Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin defeated Ultimo Dragon & Rey Misterio Jr.at 13:11 when Haas put Dragon out with a German suplex. After the match, Dragon apologized for the Japanese fans over the house mic for losing. He said he would train harder in the future so he could do better. He said he'd like to challenge Rey for the Cruiserweight Title soon.

 

(6) Chris Benoit defeated A-Train at 7:03 with the Crippler Crossface.

 

(7) Kurt Angle & Yoshihiro Tajiri defeated John Cena & Eddy Guerrero at 16:02 when Angle used an Olympic Slam on Guerrero and Tajiri used his green mist and a Buzzsaw Kick on Guerrero to finish him off. Angle got the best pop of the night.

 

(8) Brock Lesnar defeated Big Show at 16:04 with the F5. Show used the title belt to KO Brock, but Lesnar kicked out at the last possible split-second. Brock then fired back with a clothesline and a quick F5 for the win. Good, powerful big-man match. Afterward, Haas and Benjamin ran out and attacked Lesnar. Angle ran out for the save. He gave Benjamin an Olympic slam and then gave Haas an Ankelock. Lesnar and Angle celebrated together and got a great pop. Angle then talked Big Show into doing an imitation of Hulk Hogan. Show did the pose and mic work Hogan-style, which got laughs from the crowd. Angle then kissed Big Show, but then told Show he sucked for another huge pop.

 

Angle kissing Show? Someone's going to be pissed, even if it's just a house show.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

The main event of the show saw WWE champion Brock Lesnar win a Three-Way match over Kurt Angle and The Big Show in a Vengeance PPV preview when Lesnar pinned Angle.

 

Didn't Angle have TBS added to the match just so he (Kurt) wouldn't take loss of the match?

 

 

 

Anyway, if WWE ever decided to push Funaki and have Tajiri reach true greatness...

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

We won't get this because as North Americans, we're supposed to want SPORTZ ENTERTAINMENT~! instead of actual wrestling.

Yeah because that A-Train/Funaki match and that Billy Gunn match would be so spectacular. Hoo boy.

 

I'd like to see Ultimo unrestricted though. I kind of like him now that he doesn't look like a total fruit like the two times I've seen him in WCW.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I'd like to see Ultimo unrestricted though. I kind of like him now that he doesn't look like a total fruit like the two times I've seen him in WCW.

 

I'm guessing you're refering to his punk suit and his orange colored outfit. If so, I agree. I always liked him when he was garnered in the blue suit or the green one or the classic gold/black costume.

 

The silver one he uses now is bad ass. I don't think I ever saw him wear it during his WCW days.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

He wore silver in WCW. I like the blue and green variations myself.