Eclipse 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 CREDIT: NODQ.com New Japan owner and wrestling legend Antonio Inoki challenged WWE to take them on at the Strong Energy 2004 show on Saturday. Inoki said that he wants to challenge WWE and that American wrestling promotions are in a state of depression. Inoki went on to say that WWE should not be the leading force in the industry and New Japan will soon take that spot away. He has mandated his staff to contact all former WWE talent, including Steve Austin and Brock Lesnar to achieve the goal of being the new wrestling leader of the world. Last week on WWE Byte This, Jim Ross ripped the Japanese wrestling industry and their tactics. “They are desperate. The Japanese pro-wrestling is sucking pond water,” said Ross, former WWE VP of talent relations. “It’s not drawing. Goldberg went there; he didn’t draw, maybe once or twice.” Japanese wrestling journalists have deemed Ross’ statements as “ignorant”. The comments from Ross came just two days after WWE had announced two SmackDown house shows would be held in Tokyo, Japan in July. The situation is said to be getting heated. You may remember that Austin was in contacts with Japan just before and after his release. Bill Goldberg also left WWE to jump over to Japan. Since then, WWE has been left with a bad taste in their mouths. Any thoughts on this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Christ most former WWF wrestlers did a tour of Japan after leaving their promotion..... Suddenly JR's Favorite extra special the world doesn't turn without HIS Hoss SCSA gets a tender offer from the Japanese and suddenly its like SCSA is the auto industry going to Japan. Bah God Dem J&Ps are stealing my Lov errr My Favorite Hoss!!! How dare they!! I will have them all Drowning in my BBQ sauce ARRGHHHH!!!! before there was a great deal of respect for the Japanese promotions.... WWF did plenty of tours with them not only in matches but have cross promotional deals with Tenyru's ill fated SWS promotion, Giant Baba's AJPW promotion in 1990 and earlier...to even Michinoku Pro. But.... OHHH those Bastards taking Austin away... JR will urinate over that respect.... the Japanese promotions sucks pond water.. verryyyy diplomatic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 CREDIT: NODQ.com New Japan owner and wrestling legend Antonio Inoki challenged WWE to take them on at the Strong Energy 2004 show on Saturday. Inoki said that he wants to challenge WWE and that American wrestling promotions are in a state of depression. Inoki went on to say that WWE should not be the leading force in the industry and New Japan will soon take that spot away. He has mandated his staff to contact all former WWE talent, including Steve Austin and Brock Lesnar to achieve the goal of being the new wrestling leader of the world. I don't blame him one bit for speaking up about JR's comments last week. But as far as New Japan wanting to be the "leading force in the industry," it won't mean jack shit to me and many others if we can't see it on TV here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nikowwf Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Inoki operates in a world of "full of shitness" that very few people occupy, perhaps save Vince McMahon and possibly some former presidents. I'm sure Inoki will try to go after these people, who doesn't he go after. He also may say they are signing with his company even if they are not. niko Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dangerous A 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Don't read too much into this. Japanese promoters often grandstand in the media because the media over there actually covers pro wrestling.(like in the sports sections of papers and stuff, not like here where wrestling is reviled) Plus, it's from Inoki. Inoki often talks out of his ass. He has been saying that Mike Tyson is going to fight for NJPW for the last 15 years or so and it hasn't even come close to happening. Until you see Austin sign a contract, don't look into this with any salt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 It's an easy challenge to make when you know the other guy won't accept. WWE doesn't need NJPW, it would only give NJPW the attention and do little for them. Like when WCW was above WWF, Vince took the cheap shots and whatnot. When WWF was on top WCW did the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Frank_Nabbit Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eclipse 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 I thought the same, that it is a work. Imagine though, that would be a sweet angle, NJPW vs WWE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dynamite Kido Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Inoki is insane, take this with a grain of salt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Inoki is mad because Vince may be the only guy to ever really put one over on him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silence 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 I thought the same, that it is a work. Imagine though, that would be a sweet angle, NJPW vs WWE *Snickers* The shitty shoot-fighting-meets-wrestling Japanese promotion vs. Sportz-entertainment. What sounds great about that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest What_ever Report post Posted April 27, 2004 This is stupid, because wrestling fans who have a life, don't give a shit about New Japan whatever. ~I's be yo' mamma. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Wait...if this is a 'challenge' and not a work, then Inoki would be challenging WWE wrestlers to shoot fight his guys...right? Yep, he's insane. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 The whole Hirohito crap doesn't help either. Anyways, I'd mark out if they did a Best of Seven on a PPV like they did at Starrcade 95. I know it won't happen, but still. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1234-5678 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Inoki is mad because Vince may be the only guy to ever really put one over on him. What's the story behind this again? I forget........ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Inoki is mad because Vince may be the only guy to ever really put one over on him. What's the story behind this again? I forget........ Sass knows better than I. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dynamite Kido Report post Posted April 27, 2004 This is stupid, because wrestling fans who have a life, don't give a shit about New Japan whatever. ~I's be yo' mamma. oh oh, I'm a wrestling fan with a life.....or whatever the fuck that means..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted April 27, 2004 This is just Inoki grandstanding because of the crap JR was throwing out last week. At this point I don't know who's worse. Inoki and his shoot fighting love JR and his talentless HOSS love or Mutoh and his crackpipe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 So NJPW gets Austin & Goldberg while WWE gets Sakoda & the Hirohito character? Was this a fair trade? [/mark] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Masked Man of Mystery 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 I personally would love to see Tiger Mask IV and Jushin Liger kick some tail in the States, and I've only seen the found on Sledgehammer. I love being a masked wrestler mark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 But Liger did not have a good tour the last he worked in WCW and TM4 is too small? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTID 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Even as New Japan has deteriorated in the past few years, it is still streets better than WWE has ever, or will ever be. Jim Ross should get a clue, or shut up. The actual talented guys in WWE are now all either jumping off the sinking ship or being forced out due to the WWE's, and in particular Jim Ross, lack of any clue on what might pass for "good wrestling" or "entertaining programming". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted April 27, 2004 This is just Inoki grandstanding because of the crap JR was throwing out last week. At this point I don't know who's worse. Inoki and his shoot fighting love JR and his talentless HOSS love or Mutoh and his crackpipe The other two didn't almost get Nakamura killed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted April 27, 2004 Even as New Japan has deteriorated in the past few years, it is still streets better than WWE has ever, or will ever be. Jim Ross should get a clue, or shut up. The actual talented guys in WWE are now all either jumping off the sinking ship or being forced out due to the WWE's, and in particular Jim Ross, lack of any clue on what might pass for "good wrestling" or "entertaining programming". Not really. WWF in 97 or 00 > NJPW 01, 02, 03, 04 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mearl267 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2004 My thoughts: No one fucking cares. Rather, no one should care if they do. This is like a rapper naming an established rappers name in his song, just to see if the established rapper says anything back. Free publicity. All this is doing is proving JR's point that Japan wrestling is dead (at the moment) and they are trying to do anything for draws. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steviekick 0 Report post Posted April 28, 2004 This is just a way for Inoki to get the attention of the American IWC fan. They are much more likely to get interested in NJPW than the average American fan who can barely sit through Raw every week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewTS 0 Report post Posted April 28, 2004 Naturally, Bret Hart will lead the invasion. *Shot* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CronoT Report post Posted April 28, 2004 This is just a way for Inoki to get the attention of the American IWC fan. They are much more likely to get interested in NJPW than the average American fan who can barely sit through Raw every week. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted April 28, 2004 This is just a way for Inoki to get the attention of the American IWC fan. They are much more likely to get interested in NJPW than the average American fan who can barely sit through Raw every week. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. The average IWC fan already knows who Inoki is, and what New Japan is. The average IWC fan buys bootlegged tapes. This is to try and draw with American guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steviekick 0 Report post Posted April 28, 2004 Maybe this means that Inoki is going to wind up announcing that commercial NJPW DVDs will be available in the US? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
