I love New Japan, and have been a mark since I was first able to access it in 2018. New Japan sets itself apart from other wrestling organizations through its realism, and should continue to work toward maintaining the integrity of its “sports based” approach in every aspect of its presentation.
If I could point out a major flaw in the New Japan product, it’s the way they bury their referees.
New Japan loses credibility as “sports based” and its “realism” by ripping off the cheesiest cliches other wrestling organizations use to create “HEAT”, when all it really does is make the referees look like complete idiots.
For the good of the product, they’ve gotta cut this out.
Top 10 Worst Ways Refs Get Buried.
1. Wrestlers grabbing the ref and knocking him senseless needs to be an automatic DQ. It’s a fine and a suspension in every other sport. The refs need to be presented as a legitimate authority figure, and wrestlers should be backing off, when they physically intervene.
2. Referees getting KO’d by outside interference needs to be a DQ. This “regaining consciousness” to count 1-2-3 is BAD HEAT. Nobody gets knocked out at work, comes to, and picks up right where they left off…. Except in pro wrestling? Stupid.
3. When a referee gets knocked down, send out another referee in 120 seconds. Otherwise, what people are doing back stage?
4. No more pre-bell weapon use or gang muggings in front of the ref. Hitting a guy before or after the bell in MMA and Boxing is a DQ. But, in modern wrestling it’s “ok” because “the bell hasn’t rung yet”? Piss off. Attack the guy back stage where no one sees it, or not at all.
5. When a wrestler is a known weapon user, the ref needs to inspect them more thoroughly before the match. It’s funny when Yano gets caught; it’s ridiculous when HoT gets away with it.
6. “Anything goes outside the ring” has gone too far. If clubbing someone with a chair INSIDE the ring is a DQ, it needs to be the same OUTSIDE the ring. Limit the ringside toys to announcer tables, guard rails, posts, ring steps, choking, and the floor.
7. Guys jumping on the apron to draw (or grab) the referee needs to be a DQ. The ref should be able to HEAR the ring being flooded with cheaters OR the screaming fans telling him to “turn around”. Use the Bobby Heenan “foot grab” instead.
8. Ejections are “forever”. Guys can’t be coming back later in the match unless it goes unseen. Otherwise, what was the ejection for?
9. Decision reversals. The realization of post-match weapon use would result in a decision reversal. Bring this back. Show fans the refs aren’t brain dead.
10. Senior management needs to take a storyline role against cheaters. Create the sense that post-match reviews are happening. It makes the product more realistic, and it helps keep the cheating fresh.
Have I missed anything?
by AnonymousDouglas
