NNew Japan Pro Wrestling

Anyone else feel his 2023 TV title run pushed ZSJ over the edge?

He’s already been a great wrestler for more than a decade and a half at this point, but over the past year and a half it’s been hard for me to not anoint him with the BITW title. He’s gotten really over with the Japanese fans now and even the Blonde hair and the new look did wonders for him. He really spent that whole year making that new title mean something and I feel gained New Japan’s trust during that. I feel he’s at the point where Danielson is at in AEW where even though he shows up all the time he still feels like a special attraction where you can put anyone against him and at the very least it will be a good match. I’m so ready for him to go to WK as IWGP champ and be the real leader for this new generation

by mattboy1234

9 comments

  1. He def leveled up joining TMDK and his TV title run reminded me of early 90s WCW with people trying to beat him. It’s always good when people lean into pushes, freshening themselves etc. He’s way above his Dangerous Tekkers days (RIP DT)

  4. I think his big move was staying in Japan during the pandemic, dedicating himself to the company and embracing the culture. The higher ups appreciate that kind of act and he’s been rewarded greatly for it

  5. Completely agree. It’s been neck and neck between him and Ospreay for best wrestler alive in my opinion for past two years

    Only blemish against ZSJ, through no fault of his own, is significantly less match opportunities to prove it

    His spotlight matches with AEW for Forbidden Door I-III and Wrestle Dream really helped elevate his booking

  6. ZSJ, Eddie Kingston, Bryan Danielson. Three wrestlers who desperately wish wrestling was a shoot, and wouldn’t last a week if it was.

    ZSJ appeals to the cross-over AEW/NJPW fans and that’s it.

  8. I kinda think he made that TV title feel like a bigger deal than what the Global title is right now. Obviously the Global title is newer and has yet to be established the same way as the title that had a ZSJ one year run. But it shows just how much he delivered as the first champion.

  9. I feel like the TV Title run was in part to get him ready for that top spot and also in part an audition for it. When his second run came to an end shortly before the tournament I felt that it was a sign of them about to pull the trigger 

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