Steven Conway and Jeremy Finestone are joined by Chris Samsa for the latest edition of Speaking of Strong Style! The trio looked at the first two nights of action from the New Japan Cup, one of which was the 52nd Anniversary show. They discussed Tetsuya Naito’s drawing power after a strong crowd showed up for the heavyweight champion’s match against junior heavyweight champion, SHO. They also discussed tournament matches such as TJP versus David Finlay, Jack Perry’s NJPW debut against Shota Umino, Tomohiro Ishii versus Chase Owens, and how matches like YOSHI-HASHI versus KENTA can be used to set up title matches in the future. Chris also shared some of his data and unique statistical analysis regarding the tournament, and who fans feel will go deep into the Cup tournament. They also discussed the overall feeling in the air regarding fans and the state of New Japan. Do they have real cause for concern, and what’s the reason for the recent feelings of near existential dread for the company? Jeremy, Steven and Chris also looked at the schedule for Best of the Super Juniors and what it tells us about the direction of that division. The trio shared their feelings and kicked around ideas for the future. With Sakura Genesis, Windy City Riot and the Best of Super Juniors coming, there’s plenty to talk about regarding New Japan.
by daflash00
