NJPW Locker Room Reportedly Suffering From Low Morale Following Management Changes

The current state of New Japan Pro Wrestling has been a hot topic of discussion amongst pro wrestling as of late. On the last episode of Wrestling Observer Radio this morning, Dave Meltzer touched on the current backstage morale in NJPW.

According to Meltzer, “There is a lot of unrest, everyone is unhappy.” Apparently much of the unrest comes from the fact that NJPW is under new management. Toy magnate Harold Meij was brought on as the new NJPW President this summer.

The new management, while excellent businessmen, do not appear to be wrestling people. Before Meij came in to power the feeling backstage was reportedly that NJPW was doing great. Their business was up, the roster was, “very prideful of their work,” and they were making in-roads into the US market.

Meltzer went on to note that it’s not just Meij, or new GM Michael Craven, that have rubbed the roster the wrong way. It’s many members of the new management. He went so far as to say that, “A lot of people that you wouldn’t even think about leaving are thinking about it. People who I knew who were considering absolutely staying are questioning that commitment.”

It should be interested to see how things play out for NJPW over the next few months. Some top talents have contracts coming up and the new Firing Squad extension of Bullet Club has begun heavily recruiting.

Source: WrestlingINC

Kenny Omega Is Toughing Out A Fractured Rib

kenny omega injured rib

IWGP Heavyweight champ Kenny Omega has revealed he’s currently suffering from a fractured rib … but the wrestler says he won’t be taking time off because he doesn’t want to disrespect the title.

Kenny talked about his injury situation while streaming a Mario Party session on Being the Elite‘s Twitch feed. Omega explained, “The foot is doing much better, it is my rib that is fractured right now.”

Adding, “My ribs are in a bad way, but what can you do … right? I’m not one of those guys that likes to try to brag. Like, ‘Hey, look. I’m injured and I’m so tough I’m gonna keep fighting.’ It’s not like that at all. It’s just you gotta do what you gotta do.”

The wrestler finished this portion of the conversation saying, “You just gotta go when you’re the champ, ya know? You can’t disrespect the belt. You can’t take days off.”

Kenny is scheduled to wrestle next month in a tag match with Kota Ibushi at Power Struggle.

https://clips.twitch.tv/DarkPuzzledAlbatrossDBstyle

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling Results 10/8/18

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IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: (C) El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs.  Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Tiger Mask – Winners: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Togi Makabe & Tomoak Honma vs. Juice Robinson & Toa Henare – Winners: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma

The Young Bucks, Hangman Page & Chase Owens vs. Guerrillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale & Taiji Ishimori – Winners: Guerrillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale & Taiji Ishimori

Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Will Ospreay vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Takashi Iizuka – Winners: Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Will Ospreay 

Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, BUSHI & a mystery partner (Shingo Takagi “The Dragon”) – Winners: Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, BUSHI & “The Dragon” Shingo Takagi

https://twitter.com/njpwworld/status/1049232205631746049

EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Match is ruled a no contest

EVIL sits on his throne and is carried out by a number of druids, once he got to the ring, one of them attacked! It’s Chris Jericho! Jericho ended up destroying EVIL, hitting codebreaker, smacking EVIL with the title, and leaving through the crowd. The referees call a no contest for the match since EVIL isn’t fit to wrestle. Sabre Jr. is not happy and beats up some people at ringside. He goes after EVIL, but Naito comes out to make the save and clear out Sabre Jr. (Transcript from wrestlinginc.com)

https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/1049235595023802368

https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/1049236073296134144

https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/1049236343216381952

https://twitter.com/WrestlingInc/status/1049236341358284801

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1049236932142817281

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IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship (Vacant): Marty Scurll vs. KUSHIDA – Winner and new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion: KUSHIDA

Rights to Tokyo Dome Title Shot: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White – Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi

Post-match, White attacks Tanahashi and all the Young Lions. White attacks the leg some more, goes for bladerunner and Okada runs out for the save. Crowd is losing it and starts up an “Okada” chant. Gedo with the slight distraction on Okada, White attacks, but gets sent out of the ring. Gedo with a weak hit to the back, Okada blasts him with some punches. Crowd is loving this. Jado gets in the ring now to calm things down. Bullet Club OGs are headed to the ring, they all point at Okada, but grab Gedo and Jado. BC OGs want him to pick one, but as Okada goes to hit Gedo, Tama hits a gun stun on Okada. Gedo then stomps away on Okada along with the rest of the group. Jay White is invited to the ring he does the “Too Sweet” and gives Okada a blade runner. Looks like White, Gedo, and Jado are now in the Club. (Transcript from Wrestlinginc.com)

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1049253819790635008

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: (C) Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi vs. Cody – Winner: Kenny Omega

 

Post-match, Cody goes to head out, Omega asks him to return to the ring. Omega then says he’ll wait for Ibushi to be able to stand before he gives his final speech. He sits down and encourages Ibushi to stand up. Omega asked the crowd if they enjoyed the triple threat title match (a rarity for this title). He thanks the fans, hugs Ibushi, hugs Cody and says he loves Cody’s dog. As Omega signs off, out from the back comes Hiroshi Tanahashi with his Tokoyo Dome briefcase. Omega says we’re both tired, but if he wants to say something, say it right now. Tanahashi takes the mic, says they may have some philosophical differences about wrestling, but let’s put it all on the line at Wrestle Kingdom 13 and heads out of the ring. Omega does his “goodbye and good night” sign-off to close out the show. (Transcript from Wrestlinginc.com)

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1049268168294879237

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 10/8/18

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NJPW King of Pro Wrestling will air live from Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan at 4AM ET Monday morning on New Japan World

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: (C) Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi vs. Cody

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship (Vacant): Marty Scurll vs. KUSHIDA

Rights to Tokyo Dome Title Shot: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: (C) El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs.  Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Tiger Mask

EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, BUSHI & a mystery partner

Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Will Ospreay vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Takashi Iizuka

The Young Bucks, Hangman Page & Chase Owens vs. Guerrillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale & Taiji Ishimori

Togi Makabe & Tomoak Honma vs. Juice Robinson & Toa Henare

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2018 Results

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ACH, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Roppongi 3K – Winners: ACH, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin “Thunder” Liger

SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels) vs. Hangman Page & Chase Owens – Winners: SoCal Uncensored

Flip Gordon, Chris Sabin & Jeff Cobb vs. Best Friends & Hirooki Goto – Winners: Flip Gordon, Chris Sabin & Jeff Cobb

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL & SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Killer Elite Squad – Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Killer Elite Squad 

Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA vs. Jay White & Gedo – Winners: Jay White & Gedo

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll – Winner: Marty Scurll

IWGP Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks vs. Guerrillas of Destiny/w Haku – Winners and new IWGP Tag Team Champions: Guerrillas of Destiny

IWGP United States Championship: (C) Juice Robinson vs. Cody/w Brandi Rhodes – Winner and new IWGP United States Champion: Cody

Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi) – Winners: Golden Lovers

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed Airing Tonight On AXS TV

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Fighting Spirit Unleashed airing tonight on AXS TV at 8pm ET.

Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi)

IWGP United States Championship: (C) Juice Robinson vs. Cody

IWGP Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks vs. Guerrillas of Destiny

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll

Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA vs. Jay White & Gedo

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL & SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Killer Elite Squad

Flip Gordon, Chris Sabin & Jeff Cobb vs. Best Friends & Hirooki Goto

The Addiction vs. Hangman Page & Chase Owens

ACH, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Roppongi 3K

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed 9/30/18

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Fighting Spirit Unleashed will be shown live on NJPW World (about $9 month to sign-up) on Sunday at 8pm ET. It will then air on AXS TV on Friday, October 5 at 8pm ET.

Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi)

IWGP United States Championship: (C) Juice Robinson vs. Cody

IWGP Tag Team Championship: (C) The Young Bucks vs. Guerrillas of Destiny

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll

Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA vs. Jay White & Gedo

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL & SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Killer Elite Squad

Flip Gordon, Chris Sabin & Jeff Cobb vs. Best Friends & Hirooki Goto

The Addiction vs. Hangman Page & Chase Owens

ACH, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Roppongi 3K

Wrestling News Blog will post the results for Fighting Spirit Unleashed after it airs on AXS TV on Friday, October 5 at 8pm ET.

WWE And NJPW Are Interested In Impact Wrestling Star Killer Kross

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WWE officials are interested in signing Impact Wrestling star Killer Kross, according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

No word yet on if WWE has put feelers out to Kross but they are interested in the 33 year old because of his size and look. Kross stands at 6 foot 4 inches and weighs in at 265 pounds. It was noted that New Japan Pro Wrestling also has interest in signing the big man.

Kross started with Lucha Underground in 2015 and recently debuted as The White Rabbit. He began working with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide in 2017 and made his Impact debut earlier this summer. Kross, who won the Rising Star Award at the 2018 Cauliflower Alley Club ceremony, is currently involved in a stable with Moose and Impact World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries.

Below is a clip of Kross with Moose and Aries from this week’s Impact episode along with his pinned tweet:

https://twitter.com/IMPACTWRESTLING/status/1040420367456591872

https://twitter.com/realKILLERkross/status/1026681466887974912

Source: WrestlingINC

NJPW Announced Plans For Airing ‘All In’ On NJPW World

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NJPW announced shortly after “All In” airs this Saturday, NJPW World will have it available for subscribers, but no word on how quickly it will be up on the service. “All In” will be live through traditional PPV, Fite.tv, and ROH’s HonorClub. We will have complete live coverage of the show beginning at 7pm ET on Saturday.

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed To Air On Delay, Josh Barnett To Miss The Show

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AXS TV announced NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed will be airing on a delay a few days after the event takes place. The show is scheduled for September 30, but won’t air on the channel until Friday, October 5 at 8pm ET.

On the day of the show Josh Barnett will be in Japan to corner one of his fighters, so Jim Ross and Kevin Kelly will provide English commentary. According to FW4Online’s Daily Update, the show will air live on NJPW World.

Source: WrestlingINC