It’s been about a week since Sakura Genesis and I can’t stop watching that Gabe Kidd promo, there’s something about it that truly lights a fire in me that very few other promos can do, so I’m going to talk about it. I know that some people weren’t able to fully make out everything he said, so here’s a transcript of the promo:
“ I got a question for you rats, I got a question, is that what this has become? “
*Holds up NEVER Openweight Championship*
“That’s what this has become? A fucking joke! An embarrassment! What? Nic Nemeth, Matt Riddle turn up, we all start wrestling like we’re trying to get on Main Event, or Superstars! Does the squiggle on the side of this ring say Level Up? Am I a dickhead? AM I A DICKHEAD? NO!
It’s a joke, it’s a joke, and then what? Then they send what? They send Jungle Bitch here as what, a punishment? A punishment?! This is New Japan Pro Wrestling, Tanahashi might as well walk into Tony Khan’s office, pull his trousers down, and say do your worst, it’s a fucking embarrassment. “
*Spits at Tanahashi*
“Did I stay a year and a half for this? Did I lose my head for this? Did I nearly off myself twice, for this shit? No Way! I used to love this company! I used to love that lion mark! But from the bottom of my heart, as God is my witness: Fuck New Japan Pro Wrestling. “
*Spits on canvas*
“I’m gonna take everything from this company, War Dogs, are gonna take everything from this company. I’ll kill Tsuji! I’ll kill Naito! I’ll stab Tanahashi again just to remind him of his old bitch! I’ll kill everyone, and it starts with you! “
*Points to Shingo*
“Imma take your NEVER Openweight Title, where is it?! Where’s my belt at?! Imma take the NEVER Openweight title, and your Japanese spirit, and bring some fucking respect back to this place. Sayonara you Japanese fucks. “
I don’t necessarily think that there is anything inherently wrong with the styles of wrestling we get from HoT. Japanese crowds are responsive to the heel work, which will always be the company’s priority.
But the frustration Gabe feels is something that’s echoed in this sub, I think a massive part of it is that most English-speaking fans of puroresu, got into this in part, as a rejection of that style. Most of us gravitate towards the style in which wrestlers can get genuine emotional reactions out of us, while only using physical storytelling rather than traditional, dialogue-based television. There’s undoubtedly a sense of pride that comes from going out of your way to watch and appreciate pro wrestling even if it’s in a different language, so there’s a sense of disappointment that comes with the HoT style, it’s just not what the foreign fans were sold on.
Of course, every wrestling company must have some form of variety, so expecting NJPW, or any company, to strictly avoid a certain philosophy of wrestling is absurd. My favourite match of Wrestlemania 40 was Iyo Sky vs Bayley, a work-rate based singles match with a clean finish and no outside interference.
This frustration is based on real emotions, but just isn’t how NJPW will do business. Variety is necessary for profit, and there isn’t a businessperson in the world who’s interested in an art form they can’t profit from.
Then he gets to the criticism of Jack Perry being sent to NJPW as a “punishment”. Jack has easily been doing his best work (as a singles wrestler) lately, and I don’t think that sending him to NJPW in the fallout of “Brawl In” was a bad idea at all.
But in the last few years, AEW has snagged so many of NJPW’s top stars that it’s put the company in a weird place. In the build-up to Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji’s Hair vs Hair match, Yuya echoed this sentiment, fearing that NJPW may turn into a talent farm.
So for Gabe to come out and call for a shot at the NEVER Openweight Title, the title with so many examples of fighting spirit in its lineage, and to make these claims hits hard because, not only is it true, but not only does he clearly believe what he’s saying, it’s a call to action, not just for the younger generation of wrestlers (Gabe, Drilla, Connors, Finlay, Shota, Ren, Yota, Yuya, Fujita, Oiwa, etc) but for the fans.
In a week where the toxicity of American Pro Wrestling was higher than it had been for a long time, this was a call from Gabe to get back to the root of what we love about this industry.
I believe that artistic expression and experimentation is one of the great resources for battling one’s demons. So when Gabe invokes his struggles with suicide, it adds weight to his passion. I’m mostly talking about myself here, but people who have struggled with suicidality will tell you that we often need an escape. When we choose to watch this company, we reject the corporate ideals of what makes good wrestling. Attendance, TV ratings, media perception, television tropes, it’s all supplementary. We’re here because we love the art of pro wrestling, not the business.
by Any-Philosophy-3644
