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Who was YOUR Champion for February, 2024? This poll is closed. |
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 Tetsuya Naito (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion) |
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7 | 9.46% |
 Kenoh (FORMER GHC Champion) |
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1 | 1.35% |
 El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. (GHC Champion) |
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0 | 0% |
 Jordynne Grace (TNA Knockouts Champion) |
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1 | 1.35% |
 Katsuhiko Nakajima (Triple Crown Champion) |
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2 | 2.70% |
 Mayu Iwatani (IWGP Women's Champion) |
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15 | 20.27% |
 Blake Christian (GCW Champion) |
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2 | 2.70% |
 Moose (TNA World Champion) |
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0 | 0% |
 Rhea Ripley (WWE Women's World Champion) |
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5 | 6.76% |
 Yuki Ueno (KO-D Openweight Champion) |
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1 | 1.35% |
 Athena (ROH Women's Champion) |
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26 | 35.14% |
 Maika (World of Stardom Champion) |
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3 | 4.05% |
 None of the Above |
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11 | 14.86% |
| Total: | 74 votes | ||
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2024 started by being 2004 all over again! Samoa Joe is the AEW Champion, and for the first time EVER in the history of these monthly polls he was Punch Sport Pagoda's Champion of the Month! At the height of his popularity in ROH these polls didn't exist, and though he was TNA Champion and NXT Champion at points in the intervening 20 years a mixture of bad booking, poll eligibility and other wrestlers being hot for other promotions meant he never really had a chance. But in 2024, Joe is on top of the first legitimate competition to WWE in North America since the heyday of WCW. He dominated the competition for January, with over 50% of the vote and nearly 4 times the vote of his closest competitor, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito. ROH's Eddie Kingston just barely pipped out NOAH's Kenoh, but surely Kenoh will have many more months as GHC Champion to get the credit he deserves, any other booking decision by NOAH would be stupid, short-sighted and ridiculous! Joe's win as AEW Champion also marked only the second time in 8 years that January hadn't belonged to the IWGP Champion, and in 2021 it was very close between Hangman Adam Page and Kazuchika Okada. Not this year, this year January was absolutely the AEW Champion's.... and the AEW Champion is Samoa Joe.             But that was last month, and with no title defenses in February, Joe is out of the running for this month, so it's definitely going to be somebody else's time to shine! Eligible Champions are chosen on a combination of accessibility, prestige/notoriety and by overwhelming popular request. For promotions where lengthy periods of time pass with no title defenses, promos, appearances, shows etc those champions will be dropped from the poll for that period only, then return when once again relevant - for instance, Eddie Kingston (ROH), IYO SKY (WWE), Luis Mante (Dragon Gate), Miyu Yamashita (TJPW), Roman Reigns (WWE), Samoa Joe (AEW), and Toni Storm (AEW) did not defend their titles this month and are temporarily removed from the poll. The monthly "None of the Above" option is a valid potential "winner" and has "won" the poll in the past, feel free to use this as a protest vote if you so wish. Now onto the eligible contenders for the month just gone. Feel free to make an argument for/against any particular champion you think does/doesn't deserve the votes of other posters in this thread. Tetsuya Naito (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion) - Naito won the night both to retain his title but also give his Los Ingobernables de Japon faction a 3:2 lead over SANADA's Just 5 Guys even if Yota Tsuji got the big win of forcing Yuya Uemura to shave his beautiful, beautiful hair. Naito and his terrible, terrible hair however were victorious, as Naito repeated his win over SANADA at Wrestle Kingdom. There he won the title, here he retained it, and thankfully did it on Night 2 rather than the utterly godawful Night 1. Kenoh (FORMER GHC Champion) - Come on, NOAH. loving come on, man. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. (GHC Champion) - I got nothing against the son of the son of Dr. Wagner, but what the gently caress, NOAH? Jordynne Grace (TNA Knockouts Champion) - With Trinity finally gone for good, Jordynne Grace went to No Surrender and got a win in just over 10 minutes against Gisele Shaw to retain her title. Much like Maika below, however, her title defense was perhaps overshadowed by the sudden firing of TNA President Scott D'Amore, and Grace and other wrestlers on the roster putting hourglass emojis on their social media accounts in an apparent warning that they're not happy with the new President's inspiring message of a bunch of empty corporate bullshit buzzwords. Katsuhiko Nakajima (Triple Crown Champion) - Nakajima's Triple Crown defense against Jun Saito failed to set the world on fire as some of his prior matches had done, but still got a few nods from those who watch All Japan since you can almost always rely on Nakajima to deliver excitement in the ring. Mayu Iwatani (IWGP Women's Champion) - Thank God for Mayu Iwatani! With the best match of the night on the first night of The New Beginning in Sapporo, Iwatani's first ever title defense on a New Japan card actually IN Japan also saved that show from being almost entirely without merit. It was one of the worst New Japan Shows I've ever seen, but Mayu Iwatani and Mina Shirakawa put on a hell of a display, turning a crowd who basically didn't know anything about either of them into excitedly cheering for each and selling them all on the near-finishes before Iwatani finally came out on top. Blake Christian (GCW Champion) - Picking up the crazy schedule he had for most of 2023 after relatively slowing down recently, Christian managed to get in 4 title defenses in February alone, defeating Dark Sheik, Jack Cartwheel, Homicide (!) and also... Fuego Del Sol!?! Moose (TNA World Champion) - Moose put all double to rest by beating Alex Shelley for the second time in a row to retain the title at No Surrender that he won from Shelley at Hard To Kill. It wasn't a "YEP!" for Shelley this time around, and Moose continues his second reign as champion. Rhea Ripley (WWE Women's World Champion) - Rhea Ripley beat Nia Jax at Elimination Chamber. Yuki Ueno (KO-D Openweight Champion) - He actively chose to make his second defense of the title against Danshoku Dino. I couldn't watch more than 5 minutes before I gave up, as it was as garbage a match as I feared it would be when announced. It went for over 30 minutes before Ueno finally won and may be the last time Dino is anywhere near Ueno for the rest of his title reign. Maybe you disagree, but probably not, because Dino is one of the worst gimmicks in all of pro-wrestling. Athena (ROH Women's Champion) - Six weeks on from defeating her protege Billie Starkz to close out 2023, Athena kicked off her 2024 in winning fashion by beating former AEW Women's Champion Nyla Rose in a Best Two out of Three Falls Tables match on Honor Club. Coming out ahead 2:1 after 14 minutes, Athena continues to rule in ROH. Maika (World of Stardom Champion) - Maika's successful retention of her title against Saya Kamitani at Stardom's 13th Anniversary Supreme Fight show was somewhat overshadowed by the news of Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa being "fired" from the company (they'd already come to terms on his upcoming departure) and allegations he was trying to taking talent to join a new promotion he was founding. Poor Maika, wins a vacant title when Tam is had to step down as champ, gets a big win and it's overshadowed by Rossy's depature. Maybe you should vote for her? None of the Above - If you don't like these champs, here's a smiley that I don't know what it means but the code for it is champ, so... uhh... you can vote for this "champ" as none of the above? Yeah. Yeah, that kinda makes sense I guess.
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Mar 1, 2024 08:01
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Had to give it to Mayu Iwatani, for saving New Japan from one of the worst shows they've done in recent memory. She's REALLY good at wrestling!
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Mar 1, 2024 08:03
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Wait what the gently caress happened in NOAH
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Mar 1, 2024 08:03
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Isnt Mayu Iwatani also rebelling over Ogawa's firing and has made clear she is gone once her contracts up unless things change?
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Mar 1, 2024 08:07
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Lid posted:Wait what the gently caress happened in NOAH Kenoh beat Go Shiozaki in a match that firmly established that Kenoh IS NOAH, cut a great promo, found common ground with Go Shiozaki, demonstrated true leadership and that he was the man to lead the company... then lost in a completely unremarkable match to the son of the son of Dr. Wagner. Who isn't bad, but champion? Why!?! Why won't you let Kenoh have more than a couple of months as champion? 
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Mar 1, 2024 08:07
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Is it an improvement they've gone from putting belts on random old people to the sons of random old people?
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Mar 1, 2024 08:10
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Nakajima's match with Saito wasn't fantastic but his work as heir to Inoki is some grade A assholery
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Mar 1, 2024 08:11
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Lid posted:Isnt Mayu Iwatani also rebelling over Ogawa's firing and has made clear she is gone once her contracts up unless things change? I believe so, yes. She's on an extended contract or recently renewed or something, and apparently posted some stuff online that made it pretty clear she didn't want to stick around but has no choice. Regardless of that or perhaps because of it, she went out and kicked a lot of rear end in her New Japan appearance.
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Mar 1, 2024 08:12
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No Roman Reigns? It's gotta be him
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Mar 1, 2024 10:34
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Jerusalem posted:Kenoh beat Go Shiozaki in a match that firmly established that Kenoh IS NOAH, cut a great promo, found common ground with Go Shiozaki, demonstrated true leadership and that he was the man to lead the company... then lost in a completely unremarkable match to the son of the son of Dr. Wagner. Who isn't bad, but champion? Why!?! Why won't you let Kenoh have more than a couple of months as champion? NOAH booking will always be unfathomable to us mere mortals. Also, Mayu deserves it this month and I will not hear otherwise.
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Mar 1, 2024 10:41
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Quantum of Phallus posted:No Roman Reigns? It's gotta be him He only works six nights a year, so you'll have to wait until next month.
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Mar 1, 2024 11:30
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I'm a simple man, I see Athena on a list, I vote for Athena from that list.
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Mar 1, 2024 22:56
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voted for my guy Naito, proudly
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Mar 1, 2024 22:56
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I saw the Athena-Nyla table match live and it owned. Even with an exhausted post-Dynamite, post-Rampage crowd, everybody perked back up
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Mar 1, 2024 23:11
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1 day in, 4 days to go, and Athena holds a slim lead over Mayu Iwatani. Get in your vote!edogawa rando posted:NOAH booking will always be unfathomable to us mere mortals. Oh yeah, and the first guy to challenge El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. was... Jake Lee! Because there's nobody else except for the young, exciting, super-talented and very over Kaito Kiyomiya really in the mix anymore, so obviously they couldn't go with him since he's too busy being overshadowed in popularity stakes by New Japan Young Boy Oiwa.
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Mar 2, 2024 01:06
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I really slacked on my wrestling watching the last couple of weeks. Up to date with All Japan & nothing else. I need to watch the GLEAT G-REX Title match between Tamura & SBK tonight & also Yuya Aoki vs Kazuma Kikuta from BJW then I'll vote, but from this crowd I'm leaning towards Maika. Who is the top champion in Stardom rather than holding an afterthought New Japan belt  ...
forkboy84 fucked around with this message at 11:26 on Mar 2, 2024 |
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Mar 2, 2024 11:24
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Lid posted:Wait what the gently caress happened in NOAH
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Mar 2, 2024 12:16
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im assuming that *pretends to be familiar with noah regulars* wataru inoue/minoru tanaka/takeshi rikioh were busy?
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Mar 2, 2024 12:18
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STONE COLD 64 posted:im assuming that *pretends to be familiar with noah regulars* wataru inoue/minoru tanaka/takeshi rikioh were busy? I enjoy this post, though the pedant in me can't resist saying that Inoue was basically a NJPW guy who turned up in NOAH 5 or 6 times The problem with NOAH here isn't that Hijo del Dr Wagner Jr won. He should have won, eventually. Like, maybe after the N1 this year. Because he's really grown as a worker in Japan, he's over, he was doing some great in-ring stuff as the GHC National champ last year. But this all feels way too soon, Kenoh was hot, IS hot. He's the single best & most interesting wrestler in NOAH, he has a years long feud with his "little brother" Kaito Kiyomiya, he's a weird Youtube celeb now because he's so delightfully odd & angry & charismatic. But he's also 5'9" tall (not that Wagner is much bigger) & NOAH doesn't seem to have any faith in him. But I really think this was the time for a longish rain for Kenoh. Doing that whole bit with Go, having him win it. But NOAH booking is a loving mystery. NOSAWA seems to have that bug where he'd rather be booking a weekly US TV show, specifically Memphis, than traditional Japanese booking. Which is probably why the regular Monday Magic shows last year were quite good, because they were much more like that US TV format. And the less said about the junior division the better.
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Mar 2, 2024 14:39
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I voted for “None of the Above” because I don’t know any of these people. I don’t watch their shows.
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Mar 2, 2024 17:59
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Sandman from ECW posted:I voted for “None of the Above” because I don’t know any of these people. I don’t watch their shows. We’re gonna keep getting this until Roman Reigns comes back
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Mar 2, 2024 17:59
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I’m probably gonna vote for Swerve next month but I could consider an April vote for the Big Dog.
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Mar 2, 2024 18:19
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Kenoh is a dude who should absolutely be a huge star and it's utterly bewildering that NOAH doesn't seem to get that. Again, nothing against the son of the son of Dr. Wagner at all, but the timing is just insanely dumb! Anyways, Athena's lead over Mayu is razor thin what with every single vote mattering just as it always does. 2 days down, 3 to go!
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Mar 2, 2024 22:48
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Jerusalem posted:the timing is just insanely dumb! noah.txt
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Mar 3, 2024 01:30
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3 days in, 2 days to go, and only 35 votes - there are 100+ entries in the Revolution Prediction thread, and that takes thousands of time longer to complete than than 0.00000001 seconds it takes to vote, so you other 80+ goons need to get voting!
Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Mar 3, 2024 |
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Mar 3, 2024 23:41
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iwgp womens title is not a real world title thank you
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Mar 4, 2024 00:58
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Those other champs better hope for more voters coming in then, because Mayu is kicking almost everybody's rear end right now!
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Mar 4, 2024 01:08
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not even defended in new japan on a regular basis and in stardom its not even the top title
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Mar 4, 2024 01:12
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None of them are world titles because wrestling is fake. So who gives a poo poo. If it's a world title in your heart, it's a world title.
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Mar 4, 2024 01:14
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Hellblazer187 posted:None of them are world titles because wrestling is fake. So who gives a poo poo. If it's a world title in your heart, it's a world title. The international title is a world title in my heart but that’s not how this works. Even being international isn’t enough. You have to be champion of the oceans too.
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Mar 4, 2024 18:32
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Sandman from ECW posted:The international title is a world title in my heart but that’s not how this works. Even being international isn’t enough. You have to be champion of the oceans too. One of my favorite things is from an interview(?) Chris Jericho did years and years ago when he was Intercontinental Champion, and ahe was asked to distinguish it from the World Title (which I think HHH had at the time). Jericho said,"It means if there's any problem on any of the continents, I'll step up and be your champion. You're out of luck if it happens on the ocean though, go ask HHH, that's none of my business." Anyways, 1 day left to vote!
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Mar 4, 2024 23:32
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Hellblazer187 posted:None of them are world titles because wrestling is fake. So who gives a poo poo. If it's a world title in your heart, it's a world title. thats loser talk, to be a world championship it has to be defended in at least 3 different continents. That means none of these rinky dink "belts" make the cut except the WWE and IWGP champions.
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Mar 5, 2024 00:14
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The TNA World Championship has been defended in Europe and Oceania, so that counts too 
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Mar 5, 2024 00:18
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athena
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Mar 5, 2024 03:52
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Blake Christian has the strongest lineup of matches this month.
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Mar 5, 2024 04:02
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Voted for Maika although there was no real obvious standout. Was reminded that what makes NOAH taking the belt off Kenoh even dumber is that Hijo del Dr Wagner Jr isn't even going to be around in NOAH for at least the next month, he's going to Germany for the 16 Carat Gold Tournament, & I think he's going to spend time back home in Mexico. So just immediately loses any momentum that he could've had with a quick follow-up title defence. And the wXw booking was made before he signed his new NOAH contract so they knew about it in advance.
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Mar 5, 2024 04:04
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What the hell is NOAH doing, Jesus Christ  I mean it could be worse I guess, they could have given it to Fujita again instead.
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Mar 5, 2024 04:18
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When I started my Tag-Team Champions of the month poll, I had both GHC tag belts in the poll. They were removed from further polling due to lack of popularity over the period of 2020-2021. In contrast, the WWE Women’s Tag belts were only removed in December of last year. NOAH’s champions are just….not big on these forums!
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Mar 5, 2024 05:24
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It's a real shame, Go's reign during covid was the best in the world. Then NOAH shot itself in the foot with every decision they made for years on end and almost everyone here stopped caring
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Mar 5, 2024 05:37
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 14:40 |
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Jerusalem posted:What the hell is NOAH doing, Jesus Christ There's speculation that Fujita's contract could be up at the end of this month or maybe the end of April. Because he's really the only one of the Mutoh hangers on (well, aside from NOSAWA) still around in the company at this point. To be fair to NOAH, they've managed to convince Wagner Jr to come back for their show on the 17th, so that's less bad than I was originally lead to believe. Still think he should've won the belt 6 months later, after a proper Kenoh run. Wagner wins the N1 or something & then the title. Because he does warrant it, he's really good. It's just people really love Kenoh. He stands out as a character like no one else they have, the extremely angry man who is more than willing to be the butt of the joke, like his amazing Youtube video last year filmed in the body bag that Voodoo Murders put him in (OK, it was a bin bag), just yelling into the camera next to a river: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zp6IyHb1-4 One of those guys who you don't need to understand to enjoy the promos of, purely because of how he carries himself.
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Mar 5, 2024 12:31
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